


The Lady Of His Heart

by BonneyQ



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Game of Thrones AU, Yes this is a Game of Thrones!AU, You guys know how much I love an AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2018-12-04 12:15:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 38,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11555007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BonneyQ/pseuds/BonneyQ
Summary: Giving a silent prayer as he walked through the godswood, Lord Silver Fullbuster followed his direwolf, Star, as they searched for his son. Gray Fullbuster, future Lord of Winterfell, didn't take his betrothal too kindly, even if he always knew that day would come. Being a highborn wasn't easy sometimes. [GoT!AU]





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> I know the title sounds cheesy and out of a Harlequin novel, but I just love some cheesiness!
> 
> Rated Explicit because, well, it is a Game of Thrones!AU. People will be doing the nasty. HAHA

 Giving a silent prayer as he walked through the godswood, Lord Silver Fullbuster followed his direwolf, Star, as they searched for his son. Gray Fullbuster, future Lord of Winterfell, didn't take his betrothal too kindly, even if he always knew that day would come.

Being a highborn wasn't easy sometimes.

If he could choose, Silver wouldn't have mind waiting until Gray loved someone, but his boy had always been quiet and a bit brooding. He might've never find a wife at all if he didn't intervene. Silver wasn't sure even with a marriage his son would open up to his bride, Gray didn't like to show his deeper emotions, even as a child.

Star trotted in front of Silver when she smelt her pup, Gray's direwolf, Blizzard, and licked the white fur of her son. Star had had a litter of pups four years before and while the others grew up and left Winterfell, Blizzard refused to leave, having bonded with Gray.

Silver spotted his own son, seated on the bench in front of the weirwood. Gray looked so much like Silver it was uncanny, were he twenty years younger and without the scar on his forehead, they would easily pass as twins.

"I knew I would find you here." Silver spoke and Gray kept his eyes on the carved face on the weirwood. Without an answer, Silver sighed and sat beside the younger man. "You always liked to hide here when you were upset while you were growing up."

Gray glanced towards his father and back at the weirwood. "It's quiet here. Not many people to interrupt my thoughts."

"I suppose it is." Silver nodded and both their attention returned to the tree. "You always knew this day would come, Gray. I waited until you would understand our duty."

"It's easy for you to say, you knew my mother since you two were children, you always knew you'd get married. You grew up together while I never even met the woman you want me to marry." He sounded bitter and Silver couldn't really blame him.

"I know it's hard and I know I was lucky. I would've chosen someone else if I knew you had another in mind, but Gray, if you don't marry her, then who?" Silver asked and saw Gray frown. "I know you, son. You'd be more interested in preparing for a possible war other than to get married."

"I would've found someone at some point." Gray muttered and Silver chuckled.

"Maybe. But the truth is that we need an alliance with the Porlas. They control The Twins and they could charge us a fortune just to allow grains come to the North when winter comes." Silver put a hand on his son's shoulder. "A marriage assures that alliance. It's the only way I managed to convince Jose Porla to open his gates for us when the time comes."

"Jose Porla doesn't have daughters." Gray pointed out. "He doesn't have any children."

"He doesn't have children, no, but he _does_ have a niece whom he raised as his own since she was a babe. Having a niece married to a Fullbuster gives him more status in the North, as much as I hate to say. Our House is powerful." Silver sighed. "We need that bridge, son. The winter is going to be the harshest we ever faced and even though we can stand it, some of the people might not and we, as their Lords, need to provide for them."

"I know." Gray's shoulders dropped and Silver removed his hand, deciding to pet the younger direwolf, that was waving its tail while its mother sat a few feet behind. Blizzard didn't like strangers very much but once he took a liking on someone, he didn't hold back. It was quite an interesting combination Gray and Blizzard, but they were inseparable; Blizzard helped Gray to open up a bit more. "When am I getting married?"

"A fortnight." Silver was relieved to hear his son's subtle agreement to it. "Lady Juvia will arrive in a few days with her uncle."

"A few days." Gray rested his elbows on his thighs and hid his face on his hand. Seeing his human's distress, Blizzard went to Gray, sacrificing Silver's petting, to lick Gray's hand and then his face when Gray moved his hand. "I'm fine, Blizzard. I swear." Gray scratched the direwolf behind the ear and then looked to his father. "I thought I'd have more time."

"We all think that, but we rarely have the time we hope." Silver patted his son on the back. "Her name is Juvia Lockser, her mother was Jose Porla's sister and her father was from an old family from the Stormlands. She is the only one left, now."

Gray sighed. "Have you met her?"

"No, I haven't but I hear she's a nice girl." Silver got up from the bench. "I'll leave you to your thoughts now."

He had given a few steps, Star by his side, when Gray called him. Curious, Silver turned to look at his son.

"I will honor our duties, father." Gray's expression was one of determination.

Pride swelled inside Silver's chest. Gray was a good man, he'd be a good Lord when Silver passed and he'd be a good husband and father when the time came.

"I know you will, son."

**#**

Lady Juvia Lockser pulled her dark blue cloak tighter around her, and put her hands close to her mouth so she could blow some hot air on it – the woolen mittens helped a bit, but the cold of the North was something she never faced before, and it was still summer. She dreaded to think what winter would be like.

' _You will find out soon enough'_ Juvia thought and she looked outside her litter's window and saw white. _'This is going to be my home from now on.'_

"We are almost there." Her uncle, Jose Porla, said from across the carriage and Juvia glanced his way. He was the only family she had left, having lost her parents while she was still a baby and he never had children, even after marrying three different women throughout his life. Juvia and her cousin Gajeel were the children of his sisters, who were married off to Southern Lords when they were of age. As Gajeel was the only male, he'd inherit The Twins, while Juvia would get married to the son of the current Warden of the North, to guarantee a long alliance. "Remember, you must be the _perfect_ wife. They can't know why you are really there."

"Juvia knows." The blunette looked outside once more. "She will be careful."

"You will wait my order before doing it. We must make sure it is done at the right time." Lord Porla told her.

"Are you sure there's no other way?" She looked back at her uncle. "You said you want them destroyed. Is it-"

"It is what needs to happen." Jose hissed. "I've raised you better than to question my orders, Juvia. There's a war coming and we need to be on the right side of it."

"We don't know that-"

" _Yes, we do_." Jose said loudly and Juvia flinched. Taking a calming breath, he took a moment before speaking again. "Remind me: what are the words of House Lockser, Juvia?"

Juvia looked at him and she straightened her back. " _We live for the family_."

"And who took you when your House was slaughtered? When your parents were killed? When you were nothing more than a babe?"

" _You_ did."

"Yes, _I_ did. _I_ am your family." Jose said. "When they said that you live for you family, it means that you will do _anything_ for them, even kill when it's needed. I have trained you for this moment."

Juvia looked down, knowing the truth of his words. She vowed a long time ago to honor her parents by always taking the words to guide her decisions.

"When the time comes, Juvia will do what is best for her family." She said and looked up to her uncle, seeing him smirk at her words, proud to have helped her remind herself about her real mission. Juvia looked outside the window, where she could see the imposing building it was Winterfell.

She'd be a good wife, until it was time to put her family above it.

**#**

Gray stood on the courtyard of Winterfell, his father a few steps in front of him while they waited for Lord Porla to arrive, bringing his promised to marry him.

Gripping the sword on his waist to calm himself as he saw the men on horses enter the yard, followed by a carriage, Gray gritted his teeth. That was it, he was finally meeting the woman he was marrying in just a few days.

The carriage stopped and a man was quick to put a bench next to it and opened the door. Gray had seen Jose Porla once when he was a little kid and the Lord had visited Winterfell. Aside from a few aging lines on his face and the grey lines of his hair, Jose Porla remained the same: same long face, same long moustache and same black cold eyes.

Jose turned his back to then and offered his hand to the person who was inside and Gray saw a small hand take Jose's.

His first impression of his fiancée was how weird the rings on the ends of her blue hair were. Perhaps it was a southern costume; one he didn't know of but he didn't know many southerners. Her hair color was rather unusual as well, she was the first he had ever seen with it.

"Lord Porla." Silver stepped closer to the man. "I hope your travel was pleasant and uneventful."

"Lord Fullbuster." Porla bowed his head in respect. "It was a nice trip, thank you. May I introduce you to my niece, Lady Juvia Lockser."

"Nice to meet you, Sir." Her voice was soft but being a bit further behind than his father, Gray couldn't see her face properly yet, not that he was in any rush.

"You too, my girl." Silver said, being pleasant and then looked over his shoulder, indicating Gray's cue to approach. "Lady Juvia, this is my son, Gray."

Gray stepped next to his father and finally took a look at his betrothed and he was pleasantly surprised when he saw her big blue eyes, button nose and rosy lips. With his luck, Gray was expecting a female version of Jose Porla but he was happy she looked _nothing_ like the older man.

She curtsied and Gray bowed her way. "Nice meeting you, Lady Juvia."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Gray." She sounded sincere and he hoped she was, if they were getting married, they needed to be at least courteous to each other.

"You and your party should come inside." Silver said, gaining their attention. "Rest and we all can talk later, over the feast."

**#**

Juvia always heard how stoic and cold people from the North were, but during the banquet, she was sure whoever started that rumor, certainly never saw them having fun: they were laughing, drinking and there were two musicians playing. Juvia looked to her side and saw her uncle still serious, nodding at something Silver – who was smiling – was telling him.

Lord Jose Porla seemed more northerner than the real northerners.

Taking a sip of her wine, Juvia decided she needed some air and she told her uncle she would return shortly. Jose nodded and told the septa who had come with them to the North, to follow her.

Juvia grabbed her furred cape and smiled gently to the people who bowed at her in respect as she walked outside – the septa usually kept so quiet and a few steps behind that she forgot the older woman was around most of the times. Juvia took a deep breath the moment she stepped out, the cold air was very refreshing.

She took a few steps, still listening the people inside making noise and having fun but her blood ran cold when she looked around and just a few feet away, there was a large dog staring her way.

"Lady Juvia!" The septa said, afraid, while Juvia stayed frozen in place because she finally saw that it wasn't a dog that was looking at her. It was a _wolf_. A very _large_ wolf.

"Septa Mag." Juvia said quietly and admittedly shaking. "Go back inside very slowly."

"But-"

" _Very_ slowly." Juvia didn't take her eyes away from the wolf. "Now." She heard the steps as the Septa walked away and the wolf's attention went to her and for a moment Juvia thought the wolf would go after the Septa. "No, no." The wolf looked back at her, its head tilted to the side as if confused. "That's right."

Juvia looked around and just a few feet away she saw an axe next to a wall and slowly stepped back towards it. The wolf took a few steps and it stopped to sit and stare at her when she squealed when she saw him advance and she ran to get the axe.

"Blizzard!" Juvia heard and looked past the wolf to see her fiancée coming their way and he was clearly reprimanding the direwolf. He kneeled in front of the animal as if to prevent it of going after Juvia even if the wolf was still seated. Gray looked over his shoulder, to his fiancée, and said. "I'm sorry, Lady Juvia, I promise you I have trained him better than that. Did he frighten you?" He turned back to Blizzard. "I told you to stay at the stables with Star."

Her blue eyes were wide and she held the axe in her hand, not trusting to let it go yet. " _Trained_?" She seemed surprised. "Is it… is it _yours_?"

"Yes but he-" Gray started to answer, but suddenly there was people coming from the hall, his father and her uncle included, alarmed probably by the septa. Gray got up and raised his hands to calm the crowd. "It's all fine. My wolf scared Lady Juvia and her Septa, but it's all fine now."

"I don't know how scared Lady Juvia was." Silver said, loud and his tone was clear one of admiration. "She looks as if she would've given Blizzard one hell of a fight." Juvia looked confused for a moment until she remembered the axe in her hands. "Good for you, my girl." He chuckled and stepped closer and took the axe away from her. "Now go inside, dear, and I'm sorry for the scare."

"Come, Juvia." Her uncle said. "This was enough excitement for tonight."

The blue haired girl nodded and walked past him in the direction of Jose and the Septa, who waited for her. Before she got back inside the castle, she looked over her shoulders and saw the large wolf up, its front paws on Gray's shoulders and licking his face while he petted him behind his ears. Silver said something and Gray nodded, pushing the wolf down.

"A direwolf as a _pet_." Jose muttered and her attention returned to him. "These northerners are crazy."

Well, Juvia could very well agree to that.

**#**

The next morning, Gray waited in the hall before going to have breakfast. The night before, his father advised him to talk to his future wife and explain to her about Blizzard and Star and how they were only a threat to enemies. If they were to wed, she would need to get used to have the wolves around.

"Lord Gray, good morning." He heard and when he looked, Gray saw Jose Porla coming his way, his niece and her septa a few steps behind.

"Good morning, Lord Porla. Lady Juvia." Gray nodded to them and to the septa. Juvia curtsied and blushed, which he found rather lovely.

"Can I help you?" The older man asked, curious.

"I was wondering if I could talk to Lady Juvia for a few minutes before we break our fast." Gray wondered and glanced her way, in question and Juvia nodded.

"Of course." Jose's smile was cold and Gray didn't like it at all. "Septa, come along."

"Sir…" The older woman said, outraged.

"They are to be married in two days and are just going to talk alone for a few minutes in broad day light." Jose raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure it will be fine." He bowed his head in Gray's direction. "Come along, Septa Mag."

The old woman nodded and stared menacingly at Gray before she curtsied and followed Jose, leaving Gray alone with his future wife.

"Sorry about Septa Mag, she has been with me for a few years now." Juvia said, offering a small smile. "She worries about leaving Juvia alone with any man who isn't my uncle."

Gray snorted softly at that. "I can see that." He offered his arm. "If you would step outside with me for a moment…?"

The question took Juvia by surprise but she nodded and took his arm, following him. She shuddered and pulled her coat tighter around herself but otherwise alright. They took a few steps before they stopped and Gray stepped in front of her. He turned around and whistled, Juvia looking at him in curiosity and she gasped in surprise when she saw the grey and white wolf coming their way.

"No, don't worry." Gray said and stepped closer to her before he turned to look at the wolf and say: "Blizzard, halt." The wolf took a few steps and stopped. "Sit." The wolf did as asked. "Good." Gray looked at his fiancée, who was all but hiding behind him. "I know the first impression of Blizzard is terrifying, but I've had him since he was a pup, and my father had his mother since she was a pup." Gray told her and he could see her processing his words when she finally looked away from the wolf and back to him, deep blue eyes still scared. "He won't do you harm; he didn't, even after you got that axe to defend yourself with."

She seemed to consider his words. "Well, you did arrive when Juvia got it."

"True." Gray couldn't help it but to chuckle at her words. He grabbed one of her hands. "Let me make sure he knows you are a friend." He put his remaining hand on her back and urged her forward, to bring her hand close to the wolf's nose. She tried to retract her hand but he held it in place. "Don't worry."

He could still see she was worried, but trusted him enough to let him hold her hand while Blizzard smelled her. "This is Juvia, Blizzard. She's a friend, do you hear me?" He asked the grey wolf. "You are not to scare her anymore." Gray nodded and let go of her hand. "There, don't worry anymore, he knows you now. Even liked you."

"How… how do you know?" Juvia asked, curious.

"He'd never come this close if he didn't." Gray shrugged. "He didn't snarl and he wiggled his tail for you, he doesn't do that to many people."

"Oh." She smiled. "That's good. Isn't it?"

"Yes. Would you like to pet him?" She tensed but nodded. "Blizzard, you be good now." Gray watched as she slowly put her hand on top of his head and caressed the fur a few times before she looked in Gray's direction with a smile on her lips. Blizzard used his nose to get Juvia's attention back to him, having apparently liked the petting. "See? I told you he liked you."

"You are still very scary." Juvia told the wolf. "But less so now."

After watching her petting Blizzard for a few moments, Gray relaxed. Blizzard was the best judge of character he knew, when he didn't like someone, Blizzard obeyed Gray's order not to attack but clearly let everyone know his feeling by snarling. With Juvia, though, Blizzard looked like the puppy he once was and Gray found he liked his betrothed's giggles.

"Shall we go back inside?" Gray asked and Juvia looked up, eyes sparkling in happiness, most of the fear gone. "Your septa is probably coming this way to make sure you are in one piece."

The blunette chuckled. "She is rather scary, isn't she?"

"Reminds me of the septa we had here when I was growing up." He offered his arm and she took it. "She had to put me over her knee a few times. I liked to get into trouble."

"Juvia bets you liked to explore Winterfell." She told him when they were inside. "Find all its secrets."

"How did you know?" Gray raised one eyebrow.

"Because Juvia is a grown woman and _she_ would like to explore the castle, so she figured a child who lived here would like to do that even more."

Gray snorted softly. "You figured right. I would disappear for hours, exploring. Almost gave the septa a heart attack a few times." He hesitated before they arrived at the hall where they'd have their breakfast. "And… uh… This is going to be your home. You are free to go anywhere you want. Just tell someone, please, so no more septas have heart attacks. Or me, for that matter."

"Yes, Juvia will tell you if she goes exploring." She promised and her cheeks reddened a little. Gray cleared his throat when he felt his own cheeks warm up.

"Shall we?" He pointed to the hall and the blunette nodded.

**#**

With her heart beating like crazy inside her chest, Juvia walked between the godswood, her arms being supported by her uncle. The path they were to take was lighted by candles and Juvia could see some of the Fullbusters' bannerman and by the end of the path, Lord Silver stood with his dark furs around him, his sword on his hip and next to him, Gray, dressed in similar fashion as his father, his furs in a dark grey hue.

Once they arrived next to Gray, her uncle turned her way and gently pulled the hood from her dark blue cape away before he turned back to look at Lord Silver.

"Who comes before the Old Gods this night?" Silver asked, his voice deep and in the silence of the godswood, echoed everywhere.

Jose straightened his shoulders. "Juvia of the House Lockser comes here to be wed. A woman grown, trueborn and noble. She comes to beg the blessings of the gods. Who comes to claim her?"

Gray stepped forward. "Gray of House Fullbuster. Heir to Winterfell." He turned to Jose. "Who gives her?"

"Jose of House Porla, who is her uncle and guardian."

Silver looked her way. "Lady Juvia, will you take this man?"

The blunette gulped, but answered in a strong voice. "I take this man."

"Lord Gray, will you take this woman?" Silver looked at his son.

"I take this woman." Gray nodded once.

Lord Silver nodded to Jose, who placed Juvia's hand on Gray's. They looked at each other and didn't break eye contact while Gray brought her hand to his lips to kiss it.

"I am hers, she is mine." He said.

Juvia repeated the action, bringing their twined hands and kissing his. "I am his, he is mine."

"The gods witnessed and blessed this union." Silver declared and when Juvia looked at him, she saw he was smiling at the young couple. "You are married."

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and she noticed Gray's hands were shaking slightly when he put her hand on his forearm, and she wasn't too far behind. Her nerves alongside with the cold made her shaky as well.

They walked the illuminated path together, the few bannerman there bowed as they passed, muttering: "Milord. Milady."

When they were a few feet away from them, Gray turned his face her way and told her. "We are married."

"We are." Juvia agreed.

She was a married woman.

**#**

They stayed at the feast for a couple of hours while everyone partied, danced, ate and drank around them. Juvia ate some deer meat and a few sips of wine but nothing more, too anxious about the next step.

She was aware of what happened between a husband and a wife during their wedding night and she was really _not_ looking forward to it, especially with the bedding ceremony. It would be awful enough to go through it, but to go through the bedding, strange men taking off her clothes and then handed to her new husband.

On second thoughts, maybe she needed to drink more wine.

"We will be leaving in a few minutes." Gray leaned and whispered to her.

"Oh." She cleared her throat, already feeling her heart race and looking at the crowd to guess whom, out all of those men, would lead her out. "I see."

As if he read her mind, Gray said, in a low voice: "There won't be a bedding ceremony. I told everyone they better not try it or they will have me to answer to. My father backed me on that, so trust me, no bedding ceremony."

Juvia let out a shaky breath in relief and her eyes watered for a moment when she whispered: "Thank you."

"Of course." Gray's eyes softened and he gave her a shy smile, one she returned with her own. "Just a few more minutes."

By the time they left the hall – lots of catcalling from the people there – Juvia's hands were cold once more, but because she was nervous. She was married and was about to consummate that marriage.

Gray opened the door to his chambers and Juvia stepped inside – the fire was lit and there were candles around the room.

That was it, then.

"Lady Juvia." Gray said and she turned to look at him. "Before we…" She could swear she saw his cheeks pinken up. "I would like to speak to you about something."

"Oh." She was surprised, but intrigued.

Gray took off his dark grey furs and put it on the chair by the fire. "Marriages, here in the North are different from the South." He told her and Juvia frowned. "I have heard about how some couples are rather… _free_ to do whatever they want as long as they are discreet." Juvia had also heard about those kinds of couples. "I am not saying this doesn't happen here otherwise we wouldn't have so many people named Snow but my father was faithful and honorable to my mother and I intend to do the same with you." Gray took a breath. "You will be my only one, I will try my best to make you happy, to honor you and I will be your friend. I will not bring you the shame that would come from me having an affair or a bastard child. What I am asking you is for you to do the same."

Juvia blinked in surprise with his words. "Of course."

He breathed in relief, as if he was afraid she'd say 'no'. "Thank you." Juvia smiled shyly and she saw him glanced towards the bed and then back at her. Both of them averted their eyes and Juvia took great interest on the flames while he seemed to have found the ceiling mesmerized.

"We could… we could wait a few days." Gray offered and Juvia thought it was sweet of him, even if she couldn't accept it.

"Thank you, but we can't." She said, finally looking at him again. "If we do not consummate the marriage, it could be annulled especially without the bedding ceremony. There will be enough people doubting already and they _can't_ be right."

Gray's shoulders dropped. "Right." He cleared his throat. "Shall we… then?" Juvia could see he looked as uncomfortable as she felt, so she chose to nod instead of speaking. "Let me just…" He walked towards the small table, grabbed the jug and poured a cup of wine, drinking it in one go. Gray looked at her. "Do you want some?"

Juvia nodded and she watched as he poured wine in the cup and gave it to her. She drank it in a few fast sips when she saw him take off his heavy coat. Juvia put the cup away and she did the same as he did, taking her coat and putting it away, standing just in her light blue dress.

After a moment's hesitation, Gray stepped closer to her, put a hand on her jaw and leaned so their lips could meet. Juvia's heart was beating like crazy inside her chest when he unlocked their lips and his hand found the ties of her dress and he pulled one string to undo the knot.

She gulped when he found the other tie, but shrugged off the dress when he pushed it away from her shoulders, letting the fabric pool by her feet. Juvia was suddenly very aware she had only her thin underdress in his presence, but forgot about a moment later when she saw her new husband take off his thick coat and throw it away and then got the hem of his undershirt and pulled it off in one fast move.

It shouldn't surprise her that he was a very fit man given his everyday exercise with a sword, but she was still surprised to see how much. He was lean and full of hard muscle and before she could really understand what she was doing, Juvia touched his firm stomach.

Gray held his breath, getting Juvia's attention and when she looked up, for some reason her stomach seemed to get filled with butterflies; his eyes were darker than before. Juvia raised her arms when he started pulling her underdress over her head. A moment later, she was completely naked in front of him. She should've been cold, but oddly, she was warm all over.

Embarrassed, Juvia looked up to him and saw his dark eyes roaming on her form until their eyes met and he pulled her to him, kissing her lips.

Juvia gasped into the kiss when he slid his tongue over her lips and she opened her mouth, their kiss deepening. The butterflies inside her stomach got wilder and restless. She had had stolen kisses when she was younger, but nothing like _that_.

When her husband lied her down on the bed atop of the furs and his body was above hers, only his pants as barrier, nothing prepared her to the feeling of his hand on her ribs and then up to her breasts.

She didn't know for how long they just kissed, his hands touching her chest everywhere while her hands gripped his shoulders. Juvia was breathless when Gray's lips started to trail from her lips, down her neck and her cleavage.

His lips were on her neck again and his hand traveled up to her lower back. "Tonight could be a little uncomfortable, you know that, right?"

"Yes." Juvia answered in a whisper.

Gray kissed her lips once again and Juvia relaxed in his arms – she always thought she'd have her eyes closed and trying to picture something else during her first night with her husband, but Gray was doing his best to relax her.

She let herself be taken by him, surrounded by his warmth and his whispered words.

**#**

Four days later, Lord Jose was walking with his niece before he took the road back to the Twins. He was quite pleased he had married his niece to the Heir of Winterfell.

"I trust you will write me if you need anything?" Jose Porla asked, ready to leave Winterfell and go back to The Twins while Juvia walked by his side.

"Of course, uncle." The blunette nodded, dutifully.

Jose hummed in agreement. "Remember, I want to be notified when you get pregnant."

Juvia blushed, she could feel her cheeks get warm. She had been married for less than a week and yet… "That… might take a while. We haven't… since our wedding night, we haven't… He comes to the bedroom late in the night when Juvia's already asleep and rises before she wakes up. He barely talks to me."

The old man stopped with his walk and Juvia did the same. "Juvia, you know how important it is for you to have his child, especially if it is a son." She looked down to the snow-covered ground. "When you do, you will have a solid position in the North, you will be the mother of the future Warden of the North. No one will be able to _touch you_ , to take this power from you, from _us_."

"Yes, uncle." Juvia whispered. "But he doesn't want to lie with me, he avoids me."

Jose snorted. "The boy is an honorable fool, like his father. I imagine he thinks if he lies with you just because you are married, he's forcing himself on you or some other nonsense. You are his to do what he wants and he still hesitates." He looked at Juvia and put a finger under her chin, to make her look up to him. "You are young, pretty and not a halfwit. The Fullbuster boy is a young man with warm blood inside his veins. Believe me, unless he prefers the company of boys, he wants you; perhaps you just need to reassure him that this is what _you_ want." Jose half-smiled. "Seduce him."

Her cheeks warmed again. "Juvia doesn't know how to-"

"Fullbusters are all for honor and duty, remind him he needs an heir and it's your duty to give him that. Take off your clothes and tell him what he needs to hear." Jose started to walk again, Juvia quietly behind. "You wouldn't believe what men would do for a naked woman asking them to join her in her bed."

**#**

Juvia was still awake hours after she was supposed to be sleeping, waiting for her husband. She would try what her uncle told her about and try to seduce her husband. It sure wouldn't be that much of a chore for her.

Her cheeks heated up when she thought about their wedding night a few days before.

When she first heard about what happened in a marital bed, Juvia was appalled by it and all she heard about was the pain.

But Gray, though, he had been sweet and aside from a little pain at first, the experience hadn't been bad at all. It was rather enjoyable, really and it didn't hurt her new husband was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, even if he was brooding most of the time.

Hearing the door open behind her, Juvia turned to see her husband trying to get into the bedroom unnoticed, like he had been doing for the past week. When he saw the empty bed, he finally looked around the room and saw Juvia standing next to the fire.

"Lady Juvia." He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

She gathered her courage and straightened herself, chin up. "Yes, actually."

"What is it?" Gray stepped closer to her, clearly concerned.

"Juvia has a duty and so do you." The blunette told him. "We are to have children and unless there's another way of that happening, we are not doing anything about that matter." She was more than certain that her cheeks were as red as they could be. "Juvia doubts our wedding night will be enough."

Gray looked surprised with her blunt words and she saw his own cheeks get red. He cleared his throat. "I know it won't. And yes, I know we have a duty but- I don't want to force you more than I already did." She opened her mouth but he spoke before she could. "We knew each other for four days before our wedding and we had to consummate it to make it official. We did our duty, then. I know girls dream about wedding nights and I am sure you didn't dream about it thinking of a husband you met four days before."

Juvia was surprised with his reasoning and consideration. Not many men would give her time to settle into her new life and new duties. He was sweet and honorable; it was unfair how fast her heart was beating inside her chest with just a few words from him.

"Thank you, but that wasn't what Juvia dreamt about." She told him in a whisper. "Ever since she can remember, she wanted to be a mother. Mine died when I was a baby so I always craved a family of my own. You can give her that and Juvia can give you the heirs you need." Juvia stepped closer to him and Gray glanced her way. "Juvia can understand why you wanted to give her time, but give her time and push her away isn't the answer." With trembling hands but trying to look brave, Juvia untucked his shirt from his pants. "You said you wanted us to be friends, right?" Gray nodded, looking at her with the same heated eyes he did at their wedding night making her lower stomach boil in anticipation.

"How about we do _not_ avoid each other during the day and talk like friends," she pulled his shirt up and Gray raised his arms to allow her to take it off him "while during the night, we become husband and wife."

"Simple as that?" Gray asked and watched her open her robe and shrug it off.

"Juvia doubts anything will be simple." She offered him a small smile and Gray snorted softly. "But at least we will get to know each other and do our duty at the same time." Juvia didn't look away from him when she reached for the strings of his pants and undid them.

"Lady Juvia-" Gray whispered and it was a very weak warning.

"Just Juvia." She told him and he nodded.

Not bold yet to pull his pants down, Juvia put a hand on his chest and pushed him backwards until he sat on the bed, their eyes locked all the time and she pulled her nightgown away, letting it fall to the floor.

He didn't move to touch her and it made her feel like a fool for a moment – as far as she knew he hated seeing her almost throwing herself at him.

After what seemed forever and there was no reaction from her husband, Juvia felt stupid. "Forgive me." She muttered and brought a hand to cover her breasts. "If you don't want Juvia-"

Gray took the hand she wasn't using to cover herself, into his. "I'd be a proper fool if I didn't."

"You… didn't do anything." The blunette whispered.

"You were doing quite well." He told her and she took his words as consent. Eyes still locked, Juvia let go of his hand and put them on his shoulders, slowly. She put a knee on the bed and the other by the side of his hips, sitting on his lap.

Juvia put a hand on his jaw, the other on the back of his head and kissed him. It was as if it was what Gray was waiting for her to do; one of his hands went to her bare ass while the other was brought to her back to bring her closer.

He deepened the kiss and Juvia could swear her heart was going to burst from her chest when her husband kissed her throat, then her cleavage and down to her breast. Her hands wondered to the back of his head and she gasped into the kiss when she felt him move his hand from her backside to between her legs.

During their wedding night, Gray had touched her there a few times and it felt rather nice, but that night he seemed to be much more enthusiastic with his caresses. After a few moments, he touched a small bundle that made her let out a startled moan, especially when he inserted a finger inside her.

He sucked on her breast, one of her hands went to cover her mouth, embarrassed. Gray looked up and left her breast, pushed her hand away from her lips and kissed her.

"Don't." Gray told her, kissing her again for a moment, moving his finger inside her. "I need to know if what I am doing is right for you." Juvia frowned in confusion. "We are going to be married for a long time and I promised you would be the only one for me, didn't I?" Juvia nodded. "No reason why both of us can't enjoy it and for that, I need to know how you react."

Forgetting her embarrassment for a moment, Juvia's frown deepened. "Enjoy it?"

"Yes." Gray said and moved his finger inside her slowly and then added another, stretching her slowly; the feeling not so foreign anymore. "When done right, both can enjoy it."

"Juvia enjoyed it before." She told him, just realizing she was moving her hips the same rhythm as his exploring fingers. Gray touched a spot inside her and she gasped loudly with the sensation of a lightning bolt passing through her. Before she could say anything else, she felt him keep moving his fingers making sure to touch that spot every time and his thumb caressed the bundle of nerves atop of her sex. " _Oh._ What-?"

Gray's mouth closed on her nipple, sucking it and adding to her already heightened senses. She arched her body, breathing so hard and her heart beating so fast she thought it would burst from her chest, her hands tugging on his hair while she moved her hips, chasing something she didn't know what it was.

"-sama." She panted. "Gra-"

"Just Gray." He told her, lips on her neck trailing down to her cleavage and then her lips. Juvia couldn't understand the fire inside her, why everywhere Gray touched her seemed like she was burning and she might've been crazy but seven hells, she wanted to burn in the flames.

Juvia pulled his head up by his hair and kissed him for a moment, panting and moaning. Gray's touches finally sent her over the edge and it felt as if every inch of her body burned. Juvia heard herself let out a long moan.

She was panting, when she felt her husband lie her down on the bed and she saw him pull down his pants and stepped out of them before he covered her body with his, kissing her.

Opening her legs so he could settle there, Juvia sighed when he asked. "Husband and wife during the night, huh?"

"Yes." She nodded and felt Gray's manhood touch her sex and strangely enough, she wasn't afraid like she had been when they had done it for the first time. She held her breath when he slipped inside her slowly and it was much easier than before, no barrier that time and whatever Gray made her feel earlier sure helped, she just felt a small discomfort.

"Are you okay?" He asked when he stopped and Juvia nodded, her hands on his back, pulling him close while Gray kissed her neck.

Slowly, Gray started to move inside her and she sighed when the discomfort started to melt away. He kissed her lips, a hand caressing its way up from her hips to her breast and he looked her in the eye. Juvia bit her lower lip and pulled him down to kiss him.

She moaned into his lips when Gray's moves made him rub a nice spot inside her. He looked at her, his hands went to her hips again and started to quicken his thrusts, brushing the spot every time. Juvia held on to him, the gods know for how long, just feeling him slide in and out of her, hands on her hips, ass, lips and teeth on her throat.

It didn't make sense to her how much she liked to hear Gray's little groans, how she enjoyed the way his eyes darkened when he lowered his face to her breasts and used his teeth to tease her, how his eyes flashed proudly when she arched her body, closed her eyes, asking for more.

She looked his way and saw the moment he broke down, snapping his hips on hers, searching her lips, groaning when he released himself inside her. The blunette smiled into the kiss when she felt his weight on top of her, the kiss turning less frantic.

Supporting his weight with his elbows again and looked down on her, his eyes were softer and he didn't seem to be brooding so much. He was even more handsome, then.

Pulling him down one last time, Juvia kissed him slowly and she held her breath when he exited her. Gray didn't break the kiss, so both were on their sides, one of his hands on her waist while hers were cupping his face.

"Juvia guesses we reached an agreement." She said and he snorted softly, making Juvia smile.

"I guess we did." Her husband told her. "Even so, we are not doing this if you don't want to."

"What if _you_ don't want you to?" The blunette asked in a whisper.

He thought it over for a moment. "If I don't come here to sleep, it's because I don't want to. And if _you_ don't want _me_ , just say so. I mean it, you tell me." Gray told her, serious. "I'm really not into forcing women."

"Alright." Juvia muttered.

"Remember what I told you when we got married?" Gray asked her. "I meant it."

She put a hand on his cheek. "Juvia did too when she agreed. We will be the only ones for each other, we will try to make the other happy and we will be friends."

"Yes." Gray agreed. "Friends." He pulled the covers on top of them and slid closer to her. "But here…"

"Here, we are more." Juvia whispered, lying on her stomach while he was on his side, one of his hands on her lower back and her breath got caught on her throat, oddly her body heated up all over again, her heart beating faster. "We have a duty, after all."

"Yes." Gray cleared his throat and nodded. "It's our duty."

Juvia rested her elbows on the mattress to support her weight and kissed his lips – the gods knew she was being way too forward that night, but she really liked kissing him, liked being touched by him and it appeared he never liked to take initiative so she had to.

**#**

Juvia woke up and it was way too early – she could see the sun was not up yet and it was quite cold, but she needed a glass of water – the cold made her throat dry too fast. She sat on the bed and pulled the sheet she was under to cover her naked form.

Noticing the embers on the fireplace, Juvia could understand why the room was so cold. She looked over her shoulder and saw her husband lying on his stomach, his face towards her and Juvia felt her cheeks get hotter when she thought of what had happened just a few hours before.

Lucky didn't begin to cover Juvia's situation. She had heard stories about women who married gross men, men who beat them, men who forced themselves on their wives just because they were married.

Gray didn't seem to be like any of those men. He had been nothing but kind to her, making sure she was comfortable. Juvia was sure she would like to be his friend when morning came, just as much she enjoyed being his wife during the night.

Juvia slid off the bed and she hissed when her feet touched the cold floor. She got her underdress and put it on before she walked to the small table where there was a jug of water next to the wine they had earlier and a cup. She drank the cold liquid slowly and she was about to return to bed when she saw her husband sit on the bed, looking around, confused until he saw her with the little light coming from the fireplace.

"It's too early." He told her, confused, and Juvia nodded.

"Juvia just needed to drink some water." She told him and walked back to the bed, getting under the covers. "And it's cold, Juvia needed to put her underdress back on. She's not used to the cold yet."

Gray lied back down, on his side and watched her for a moment before he sighed and pulled her closer to him, making her gasp in surprise. He had an arm over her waist and her body molded perfectly to his. "Sleep closer to me." He told her and Juvia could feel her heart beat faster with the contact, especially since her dress rolled up and she could feel his bare legs on hers. "It's warmer if we sleep that way."

"Oh." She cleared her throat softly.

He must've felt her tensed body, because he muttered, clearly sleepy. "Don't worry; it's night, we're still husband and wife." Juvia couldn't help but to chuckle and she felt his lips curl. "Sleep." He said and she hummed in agreement, feeling warmer with her husband's arms around her.

**#**

"Another morning with porridge for breakfast." Silver sighed, playing with his food. "Lady Juvia must think we are either poor or that we really enjoy porridge."

"Or that _someone_ said he didn't want fish or chicken for the past few days and he also hasn't gone hunting either." Gray told his father. They were having breakfast together, like they had since Gray and Juvia were married, but that morning the air was lighter and Silver must've picked on that.

The blunette chuckled and looked to her father-in-law. "Juvia doesn't mind the porridge, Silver-sama. She quite enjoys it with some honey."

"Call me father, my dear." Silver told her. "I have always wanted a daughter but sadly my wife died before we could have one. I had to wait eighteen years for my son to get married so I could get a daughter, so please, call me father."

"Of course, father." Juvia repeated dutifully.

"You shouldn't bully her into calling you that." Gray pointed out.

"I take offense at that." Silver pretended to be offended, but he winked at Juvia, who hid a few giggles.

"Don't humor him." Gray told his wife, clearly pretending to be angry. "You are creating a monster."

"Alright, Gray-sama." The blunette put a hand on his thigh under the table to calm him and then removed it after a moment.

"I was thinking." Silver said after a few moments. "We received an invitation to attend to a wedding in a fortnight. The oldest son of Lord Ross is getting married to the daughter of Lord Sintherby. You must remember the young Ross, Gray. He stayed here for a few months when both of you were twelve."

Gray seemed to think for a moment. "Oh, yes. Lucian, isn't it? Big guy, hair so blonde it was almost white?"

"That's him." Silver nodded. "I was thinking you and Juvia could attend to it. Your first official outing as a married couple. It's a two-day journey from Winterfell to Castle Ross."

Juvia looked at Gray, who looked back at her. "If Gray-sama doesn't mind going, neither will Juvia. It will be nice to see more of the North and to meet more of your bannerman."

"I think it will be nice to go." Gray agreed, looking at her and then at his father. "People need to know who is to become their Lady in the future."

"It is settled, then." Silver seemed pleased to himself. "You will leave in ten days."

The blunette smiled to her father-in-law and she waited until her husband had finished with his porridge before she spoke. "Juvia thought we could take a walk to the godswood." He looked up when he realized she was speaking with him and frowned in confusion. "Friends during the day not ignoring each other, remember?"

Understanding dawned in his expression. "Oh, that's right." Gray nodded and then looked at his father. "I will escort Lady Juvia to the godswood, father. I will meet you later so we can go to town."

"Of course, son." Silver nodded and smiled when Juvia stepped closer to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, it had been just a little time but Juvia grew quite fond of him. "Oh, see? Daughters are better than sons. I think he was seven the last time he even _hugged_ me." He looked at his son.

"Good thing she calls you father now, huh?" Gray told to his father and offered his arm to his wife. Juvia chuckled and took his arm, stepping closer once they were outside. "You will get used to the cold, but you need thicker dresses or at least a coat."

"This is the thickest dress Juvia has." She looked down to her dark blue dress. "Perhaps she needs a northern made dress."

"It is probably for the best." He told her and saw Star, sitting and looking quite annoyed while Blizzard tried to get her attention by biting her ears and her legs, anywhere he could. "He just doesn't learn." Gray shook his head and whistled, gaining Blizzard's attention.

Gray untangled his arms from Juvia's just in time the large direwolf jumped on him, paws on his shoulders and Gray groaned with the weight when Blizzard licked his cheek. "You are not a puppy anymore, you know?" Gray pushed the wolf down and his attention went to Juvia. "Blizzard, you behave now."

Juvia waited to see what the wolf would do, but thankfully he didn't jump on her, but went close enough her only option was to pet him and scratch behind his ears.

"He jumps on me, but sits when he's close to you." Gray crossed his arms over his chest.

"You did tell him to behave." Juvia chuckled when Blizzard bumped his nose on her hand so she'd pet him again.

"That I did." Gray nodded and scratched the wolf's head. "Go to the stables. I'll be there soon to feed you." Gray whistled and Blizzard trotted to where Star waited and both walked away.

"They are very smart." Juvia said, watching the wolves.

"Yes." He agreed and once again offered his arm to his wife.

"Why 'Blizzard', though?" Juvia asked when they resumed their walk. "Juvia can see why name her Star with that mark on her head, but Blizzard?"

Gray snorted. "It is as simple as it sounds: his litter was born during a blizzard, I thought I was being clever."

"That's sweet." Juvia chuckled. "You must've been a sweet child."

"I wished I could say it happened when I was a child, but I was fourteen." He smirked when he heard her laugh quietly. They walked in silence for a few moments before Gray spoke again. "You are letting your hair loose, now." He commented.

"Oh, yes." Juvia touched the long curls. "Juvia thought she looked too much of a southerner with the rings of hair. Juvia wants to fit in and she can see that, unless there's a party, the women prefer easier styles."

"Those rings by the end of your hair were quite… _unique_." He tried to be tactful.

Juvia chuckled. "That's one way of seeing it. It took Juvia an hour to style her hair that way."

"I like it loose, it shows the color more." He shrugged. "Here up north most of us have dark hair. Blue is a nice change."

"Imagine if we have a blue haired son." She asked.

"I think he would be the first blue haired Fullbuster, that's for sure." Gray chuckled.

"Will you mind if it happens?"

"No." Gray shrugged once again. "Hair color doesn't matter, it's silly to be that superficial. I know someone with pink hair and it never bothered him."

"He must be interesting."

Gray smiled. "You have no idea." They stopped in front of the gates of the godswood. "Here we are."

"We need to do this more often." Juvia took his hand on hers. "Juvia likes to talk to you."

"It's weird, but I like to talk to you too." Gray frowned a bit.

"That's a good thing." She said. "We are getting along."

"I guess we are." Gray agreed. "Father and I are going to town but we will be back for supper."

"See you then." Juvia smiled and walked to the godswood.

**#**

Gray looked to his right where his wife rode her white horse, a guard escorting them on the front and another a few meters behind. She had been riding for the past five hours and not once she complained. When she told him there was no need for a carriage to take her, that she could ride for as long as was necessary, he was skeptical but she held on during the journey to Castle Ross and now, they were on their second day, still five more hours until Winterfell but she stayed strong.

They had been married for almost a month and aside from the first days when he had been apprehensive about intimacy, they had no trouble at all. Juvia was quite an intelligent woman, kind and always treated him and his father with respect.

Silver was already charmed, Gray wasn't too far behind. For an arranged marriage, he was happy with how things turned out.

During the wedding they attended, she had been the perfect guest and when they left, Gray was sure all Lords and Ladies there would let everyone know about the new Lady of Winterfell.

"For someone who spent most of her life locked away in the Twins, you know how to charm a crowd." Gray told his wife. "When exactly did you learn that?"

Juvia frowned in his direction. "What are you talking about? Juvia just treated them the same way she treats anyone."

He looked at her, trying to see if she was being modest, but saw nothing but confusion in her expression. She was speaking the truth, she did nothing on purpose.

"Did you know that I never saw Lord Redfield smile until he talked with you at the wedding?" Gray raised an eyebrow.

"He is an interesting man." Juvia told him. "His wife was from the Stormlands, like Juvia's family. He says Juvia reminded him of her."

"That explains it." Gray snorted. "Should I worry?"

Juvia chuckled. "We had a deal, remember? Not even sixty-year-old Lord Redfield will make Juvia break that deal."

"Good to know." He was about to say something else when they heard a shout. Gray watched as the guard who rode ahead of them fell from his horse. There was a man holding a bloodied sword next to the horse. Two more came from the woods on their left and another from their right.

Gray wielded his sword and he looked at his wife, who was looking at the men, scared. He and the guard would be able to fight their way out, but with Juvia there… they would need to protect her. He wouldn't let anyone hurt her, not while his heart was still beating.

"What do you want?" Gray asked.

"Your horses. Whatever food you've got and money too." The one who seemed to be the leader of the group, said. Gray noticed they all wore the same types of furs, black. Were they… from the Night's Watch? That didn't make sense, everyone knew they executed deserters.

There was no time for that, though. They were all armed and looked quite desperate.

"Alright." Gray nodded and came off from the horse, nodding slightly to his wife to do the same. Gray walked around Juvia's horse and saw the guard had also dismounted and slowly walked so he could stand next to Gray, both protecting Juvia. "Everything we have is on the bags attached to the horses. You can have it."

"I know him." One of the men, the older one, took a step closer, frowning. "You're Gray Fullbuster, aren't you? Bloody boy looks exactly like his father."

The others looked at him with interest. "We could get some good money for him. His father would pay."

"And look at the pretty girl. We could all use a pretty girl like her around." One of them said, three missing teeth on the front and way too thin to be healthy.

"We need the horses and the money to get the fuck out." A man around his thirties said, he seemed to be the only one sane enough of the group. "We need to go as south as south go."

Gray tensed. They were starting to disagree and that wasn't good at all.

Gods, how he wished he had brought Blizzard with him.

"Juvia," he whispered, praying the men kept arguing so they wouldn't hear them "if a fight breaks, you get on your horse and ride until you reach Winterfell."

"No." She whispered back. "We need to attack." Gray frowned. "The guard they hurt is still alive. We need to take them out and care for him. Juvia will help."

"We can take them, milord." The guard whispered. "You and me. Two against four is doable."

Gray saw one of the men push the other's shoulder and knew soon things would get ugly. Holding his sword tighter, he nodded at the guard by his side. "Juvia, run to the trees and wait." She didn't answer but he was sure she heard him. "Roman, on the count of three."

"I'll get the ones on the left, sir."

"One. Two. Three." Instinct took over when Gray charged in the direction of the men, swords up. The first one went down quickly, he was distracted, but the others were better prepared and put up a fight.

Gray groaned when he was hit on the arm and saw the guard, Roman, fall to the ground. He was supposed to be much better than the men who were trained in the Night's Watch, but apparently, in their despair to run, they improved their abilities.

The second man Gray was fighting finally fell once Gray slashed his front and he was aware there were two enemies more. He turned just in time one of them swung his sword, Gray's own Valyrian steel sword stopping the hit.

Gray could swear man number four was about to attack him, but instead, Gray's eyes were wide when he saw his wife, his seemingly sweet and _helpless_ wife, with a sword in her hands, wielding it as if she had done it her entire life, fighting the man.

"What the fuck?" He yelled and the one fighting Gray got distracted enough with the fight that Gray pushed the man and started to swing his sword, with much more purpose – Juvia was fighting, he needed to help her.

Gray finally put the sword through the man's stomach, pulled his sword from it and turned around, just to see Juvia swirl perfectly, sword in hand, hitting the son of a bitch right on the chest.

What the fuck he had just witnessed?

Juvia was panting when she looked at him and Gray knew, then; she hadn't picked up that sword instinctively because she needed to protect herself and her husband. She picked that sword because she knew how to use it.

"What _the fuck_ , Juvia?" Gray said in disbelief.

Blinking in surprised, Juvia straightened herself and told him in a whisper: "You were not supposed to see that." One of the guards moaned and she looked at him and then back at her husband. "We need to take care of them." The blunette said. "Juvia will explain to you later."

"Juvia…"

"Later." She promised and Gray nodded after a moment; they needed to get medical attention to those men.

"Later." He agreed, scowling. Gray Fullbuster wasn't too fond of secrets and it seemed his wife had some of her own.

He would get to the bottom of it, one way of the other.

 


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is going to have a third part, things got out of control. haha

“The guards will be fine.” Gray told his wife when he entered their chambers. Juvia was waiting for him, seated by the end of the bed. “Fean will take longer to heal, but eventually he will be fine.”

“Good.” Juvia sighed in relief and watched while he took off his coat. “What about the men who attacked us?”

“Two survived.” Gray said and went to sit next to her. “Father wants to take care of them first thing tomorrow morning. Deserting from the Night’s Watch is punishable by death.”

She flinched. “Is it really necessary?”

“It’s the law.” He told her and she nodded. Gray hated the executions, he hadn’t done it himself yet but he accompanied his father since he was ten. It was the downside of ruling. “Now that we are home and everyone is taken care of, can you tell me how in _seven hells_ you know swordplay?”

Juvia sighed. “You weren’t supposed to see that. No one did.”

“Why not?” Gray raised an eyebrow.

“Fighting skills aren’t really what men look for in a wife.” The blunette told her husband. “It’s not a desirable quality and Uncle was very specific about what qualities men looked for in a wife.”

Gray frowned. “If he didn’t want you to learn, how did you?”

“Juvia’s cousin.” She smiled fondly. “We did everything together as we were growing up, he is just one year older, you see? Until we were around six or seven, we were allowed to play together and then everything changed.” She looked up to him. “Juvia had to learn how to be a proper lady and Gajeel-kun needed to learn how to be a knight.”

“I see.”

“The only time we learned anything together was when the Maester taught us history, literature, etiquette in general. Juvia got really bored, what she had to learn was so much less interesting than what he learned. Juvia complained to Gajeel-kun and he came up with the solution: he would teach me what he learned, he didn’t like the other boys he fought. Juvia was ten.” She snorted softly. “Gajeel-kun didn’t like many people. Still doesn’t.”

Gray’s lips curled up a little. “But he likes you.”

“Yes.” Juvia nodded. “He started to teach me, then.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t get that good with a little boy teaching you.”

“No.” She chuckled. “We managed to hide for a year until Uncle caught us. He got so angry… Juvia wasn’t supposed to be learning that, what if she got a scar? It would make it harder for a good match when she grew up.” Gray nodded in agreement, even he had been shallow about her looks when he met her. “He forbade Juvia to keep practicing with Gajeel-kun. A few days later, he came to me and told me he wanted to see what Juvia could do. Gajeel-kun told him Juvia was the only one he could spar with, the other boys weren’t as good and he didn’t have the patience for them.”

“He wanted to see what you were capable of.” Gray guessed

“Yes.” She nodded. “So he did. He asked for a couple of other boys to be there as well.”

“You threw them to the ground.”

“Both, but not Gajeel-kun. Juvia was never able to beat him.” She sounded annoyed, she knew it was childish but he always taunted because of that. Returning to the story, Juvie kept talking. “Uncle was pleased with Juvia’s skills and he said he couldn’t waste it. Juvia began to be properly trained by a private teacher so no one would know about it.”

“To not ruin marriage proposals.”

Juvia nodded. “I was allowed to spar with Gajeel-kun but we couldn’t be too rough, Juvia couldn’t get a scar under no circumstances.”

Amused, Gray commented. “Perhaps that’s why you were never able to beat your cousin.”

After a moment’s thought, Juvia smiled and kissed his lips. “Perhaps. Thank you.” He gave her a kiss, then. “That’s the story.”

“Well, I never saw it coming.” Gray was frank. “It is unusual to see women who can fight. I have a friend who does, but she wears armor all the time, she’s a knight in everything but doesn’t have the title. I guess I formed an image in my mind about women who can fight.”

“Juvia doesn’t blame you.” She shrugged. “We are very few yet.”

He hummed in agreement and after a moment he said. “I have to see what you are capable of.” She raised an eyebrow and he rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’ve seen you today with those men but I would like for you to spar with me.”

She was surprised with his request. “Oh. I... I still would like to keep this a secret.”

“I don’t mind if people know you can fight, but if it’s what you want.” He shrugged. “Winterfell is big, there are quite a few large rooms we could use.”

“When?”

He thought it over for a moment. “In two days. Tomorrow I will go with Father to the execution, I’d rather not spar after.”

“Or course.” She took his hand on hers. “Shall we go to sleep?”

“Yes. It’s been a tiring day.” He leaned and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

**#**

Gray felt like a teenager sneaking around with a lover in the halls of Winterfell, especially because his wife was having a fit of giggles while he held her hand, guiding to the room he had prepared for their sparring session.

Once they arrived to the chambers, he shushed her by pressing her against the door and giving her a kiss. “You were being too noisy. Don’t you want this to be kept a secret?”

She was still giggling. “Juvia couldn’t help it. We are adults but Juvia felt like a naughty child running to do something her parents disapprove of.”

He rolled his eyes playfully. “We don’t have too much time.” Juvia nodded and Gray stopped pressing her against the door. He took a few steps to get the swords he had left there earlier close to the fire and his heart almost stopped when he looked back at his wife. “What the…?”

Juvia was pulling her dress up, he could see she had pants underneath and when she finally had it off, she also wearing a grey linen shirt. She moved to place her dress on a chair next to a window and with the light coming in, he could see her breasts through the fabric. The tight leather pants weren’t helping his thoughts either, teasing her beautiful curves. It was stupid get hot and bothered with just the tease he was seeing when just the night before he had his lips on every inch of her naked skin that he could.

“What are you wearing?” Gray asked and Juvia looked his way.

“If you want to see what Juvia is capable of, seeing her in a dress won’t be any good. Juvia could trip.” She told him checking if her braid was properly tie by its end – she usually had her hair loose so he assumed the braid had the same purpose as her pants: practicality. “Juvia can fight in a dress but she’d rather wear pants for it.”

“I see.” Gray nodded and gave her a sword, losing no more time. “I got those earlier: the children practice with it.”

Juvia frowned in confusion. “Juvia hasn’t practiced with a sword like this since she was twelve, at most.”

“I don’t want neither of us hurt.” He shrug. “I assume your skills will be the same whether you wield a sword with a proper edge or not.

“You assume right.” Juvia held the sword and started to move it around, feeling the weight to get used to it while Gray watched with interest.

Every move she took with the sword, he’d make too when unfamiliar with the blade. When she waved it around, he could see she was shown how to get a good feel of it by an experienced warrior. He never doubted she was telling him the true story, but he could clearly see she knew what she was doing.

“Hm.” She hummed when she stopped. “The weight is similar to Juvia’s sword.”

Gray’s eyebrows shot up. “You have a sword.”

“Yes.” Juvia nodded.

“Why I’ve never seen it?”

Juvia chuckled. “Because until three days ago you didn’t know Juvia knew how to fight and the sword is hidden in Juvia’s trunk, under all her dresses.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “Makes sense.”

“It’s a bastard sword, in case you are wondering.” She informed her husband. Bastard swords had slightly longer blades than longsword, but they remain light enough to be wielded one-handed and to a woman, it made more sense for her to have it as a weapon of choice. “Juvia named it Water Claw, there are waves carved on the hilt because of Juvia’s House.” House Lockser’s sigil was four dark blue waves going right on a lighter blue background – not the most fearsome sigil, but beautiful to look at. “Juvia would’ve never guessed how prophetic her naming was. She didn’t even dream about Uncle’s plan to marry us, yet.”

“What do you mean?” Gray frowned.

“Juvia’s sigil are waves, meaning water. Your sigil is a direwolf, wolves have claws.” She shrugged. “Water Claw.”

It made sense why she would find it odd. “That is a very odd coincidence.” He cleared his throat. “I will want to see that sword when we retire for the evening, but right now we should be sparring.” Juvia nodded and took position, Gray took a few steps behind and did the same. “Let’s see what you can do.”

**#**

It had been a while since Juvia had sparred with someone else other than her former teacher or her cousin so fighting with her husband was both new and exciting, especially because she knew how good she was and by the way he was frowning, he wasn’t going easy on her just like she wasn’t going easy on him.

If he wanted to see what she could do, she’d show him.

He was even more handsome while focused, she could feel herself throb a bit between the legs whenever their bodies pressed against each other and she noticed how his eyes went down to her chest when she was against the light and he could see the outline of her breasts. She noticed it when she had put on the shirt earlier but decided to keep it on, she was going to practice with her husband, it wasn’t nothing he hadn’t seen before.

She shouldn’t want him the way she did just because of their sparring session, yet, she hoped night came soon so she could have him.

They were both panting, muscles aching but having fun.

With a swift move Gray finally managed to disarm her, the sword fell with a loud clinking noise, Gray tried to pull her to him but Juvia fought him and both ended on the floor just a few feet away from the fire.

His body was weighting on hers, making her prisoner and Gray put his sword on her neck, pressing it strongly enough to let her know he meant it. Juvia lost no time in quietly get the small dagger she hid on the side of her pants.

“Got you.” Gray panted, looking rather smug.

She grinned, as breathless as her husband. “Did you?”

Gray felt something pressed on his side, right under his ribs, and he looked down only to see her holding a dagger. If it were a real fight, he would get to slit her throat, yes, but she’d stabbed him in retaliation.

She’d die and bring him with her.

“Where did you hide that?” He was both surprised and thrilled at her skills, she could see. When she had told him about what she could do, he wanted to test her himself so he could see how much she knew. “This is fighting dirty.”

“This is fighting to survive.” Juvia shrugged, both still pressing their blades on the other.

With his body pressed against hers, she could feel he enjoyed their sparring just as much as she did and the tension only grew when moved slightly, both aware of his ‘problem’.

Juvia didn’t know who moved first but the next thing she knew, the sword and the dagger were forgotten next to them and they were kissing rougher than ever before. She was already on fire, their little sparring session somehow made her want him so strongly she couldn’t breathe.

Gray pushed her legs apart and settled his hips there, their pants the only thing between them,  She pulled his shirt and they stopped kissing for a moment so he could take it off, throwing it on the floor somewhere.

Locking their lips together once again, Gray pulled Juvia’s simple shirt from inside her pants, his hands going underneath the fabric, one staying on her stomach and the other up to cup her breast. Juvia’s hands started to roam on his back quite enthusiastically, wanting to just touch his naked skin. Gray’s hands went down started to unlace Juvia’s pants but the groaned in frustration when he tried to pull the leather but it was difficult.

“ _Seven hells_.” He muttered, annoyed, making his wife have a fit of giggles as he tried again. “Why the fuck did you wear pants _today_ of all days?”

“Get off Juvia.” The blunette said between giggles and pushing him away. Gray frowned in confusion but did what was asked and removed himself from her, lying on his side next to her. Juvia quickly kicked off her shoes and pulled her pants down, kicking them away.

Gray’s eyes darkened when she kissed him and pushed him to lie on his back, to his surprise. Juvia started to grind herself on the growing bulge inside his pants while Gray’s hands went to her hips and up under her loose shirt, pulling it away so she was completely naked on top of him.

With her hands on his chest for support, Juvia kissed him once more and caressed her way down to untie his pants, her hand slipping inside, curling it around his shaft and sliding her sex over it at the same rhythm as her hand. She had learned how to touch him from the few weeks they had been intimate and his moan was her reward.

“Juvia.” Gray pleaded after a while; his hands went to her breasts and Juvia nodded, knowing what he was asking for without actually voicing it.

Guiding him to her opening, Juvia sank in on him slowly and moaned when Gray pinched her nipples. She stayed still for a moment, even though it didn’t bother her anymore, she still needed a few seconds to get used to the feeling.

Her husband waited patiently lips on her own, down to her cheek, jaw, anywhere he could kiss while his hands caressed her breasts and stomach.

Moving her hips up and down, Juvia sighed with the new sensations. During their time together she had never been the one on the top, Gray always took charge before he was even inside her.

Gray’s hands went to her hips and then he was seated, helping her stay at the same rhythm, his mouth going straight to her breast, sucking a nipple. Juvia moaned loudly, her hands going to his hair. She rotated her hips a little and it made him brush a spot inside her that made her falter her moves and a startled squeal from her.

“Fuck.” Gray groaned, his teeth nipping on her breast harder than any of other times they had been together. One of his hands found its way to her hair, fingers close to her scalp where her braid hadn’t start – some locks of her hair fallen from the braid.

Juvia moaned loudly when Gray’s hand went between them and his thumb started to caress her above where they met, roughly and sparking a fire inside her. “Oh. _Oh, Gray-sama_.” She panted, nails digging on the skin of his back and managed to kiss him, a rough meeting of lips, her hips moving fast. “Gods.”

“You…” He groaned pulling her hair again so he could bite on her neck. Juvia was surprised with how much rougher he was that day – before, he had been the sweetest and he was still clearly watching for positive reactions, but that afternoon it seemed he was letting himself be rougher. He had just seen she could take care of herself, he had seen she wasn’t a fragile woman, that she wasn’t helpless. He knew she could take it.

It came as a surprise to her when she felt the new but now familiar sensation of her lower stomach boiling up – Gray had made sure he’d pleasure her with his fingers before he slid inside her and he was quite skilled but she had never felt that with him inside her. It had felt good, she enjoyed it but her body was still getting used to it.

She was panting, holding on to him a hand going from his back to his hair where she grabbed it, pulling it so she could kiss him again. Gray kissed her, biting her lower lip and the action made her get even wetter between the legs. “Oh, gods.”

“Juvia.” He muttered when she kissed his jaw and down to his neck – she too was biting rougher than before, she was sure both of them would have marks from that afternoon. “Fuck.”

Her thighs were hurting, she had difficult to breathe, her breasts stung and so did her neck because of Gray’s teeth and fingers but Juvia couldn’t stop, not when she could feel her lower stomach start to stir, her blood boiling. “Gr-” She moaned into his ear, nibbling the earlobe. “Gray-sam-ah. Please.” She whimpered.

Thank the gods he knew what she was asking for. He stopped rubbing her clit and pinched it rather roughly instead, shocking Juvia with the stinging sensation that turned into pleasure and suddenly her whole body tightened, every inch of her body exploding in pleasure. She let out a loud moan, not even having the chance to try and hold it back, the sensation being a surprise. Her nails dug into Gray’s back, her body arched back and she felt in the back of her mind Gray’s face between her breasts, kissing the mounds, his hands on her hips kept her moving while Juvia whimpered when the feeling prolonged.

Gray’s own pleasure didn’t take long to be reached, she felt his hands tighten on her hips, Gray’s lips searched for hers in a desperate kiss and Juvia swallowed his groan when he stilled her, himself buried to the hilt inside her and she felt his release in her.

The kiss turned desperate to slow, his hands lightened the grip on her hips, Juvia’s nails no longer sunk on his skin but both still felt as if their bones were made of mud.

A hand on her ass and the other on her back, Gray started to pepper kisses on Juvia’s jaw, her throat, cleavage while Juvia sighed, her own hands on his hair which she used to lock their lips again after a few moments.

Using her knees for support, Juvia raised her hips enough so he could slip out of her, making him groan and Juvia smiled into the kiss.

She was about to go lie on the floor next to him but Gray’s arms tightened around her and he brought her with him when he lied down. She rested her head on the crook of his neck and closed her eyes.

Juvia knew they needed to get up, knew she’d get colder because of the layer of perspiration from her body even if they were just a few feet away from the fireplace, she was completely naked atop of her partially naked husband since he still wore his pants and boots, she knew they had to clean themselves but she just wanted to lie there with him for a few moments.

Caressing her back slowly from her ass to her back, Gray was almost making Juvia purr and if that happened during the night, she’d be halfway through falling asleep.

They couldn’t, though. There was no way someone didn’t hear them, they were rather loud, and they needed to return to their daily activities soon.

“Juvia guesses we are husband and wife all the time now.” She whispered and looked up just to see her husband frown in confusion so she clarified. “It’s the middle of the afternoon, we agreed to be _friends_ during the day.”

“We are _really_ good friends, then.” He smiled when he heard her laugh and hide her face on his shoulder. “I think we are husband and wife _and_ we are friends all the time.”

“Good. Juvia can live with that.” She trailed from his shoulder to his neck with kisses. They stayed in silence for a few moments before Juvia sighed. “We have to leave the room, people will be looking for us.”

Gray snorted, caressing her naked back slowly. “We got married recently and we are both missing. Trust me, they will know we aren’t in any danger.”

Juvia kissed his lips and got up, her muscles still feeling like jelly, her husband following a second later tucking himself back inside his pants. Juvia grabbed her dress to put it back on, well aware her husband’s eyes on her. She looked over her shoulder, curious. “Gray-sama?”

He snapped eyes back up from her naked back to meet her eyes. His cheeks reddened a little – they had just made love and touched each other virtually everywhere yet he still blushed. “I… uh… I can _see_ everything better in the daylight.” Gray cleared his throat. “So... I was… _seeing_.”

“Oh.” It was her turn to blush and she put the dress back on. She’d need to go to their room to clean herself between the legs before she went downstairs since the room they were in didn’t have a basin with water. She had started to button her dress when she noticed some of her hair came out from her braid during their activities, most likely their lovemaking because of Gray’s fingers. “Juvia’s hair must look as if she had a fright.”

“A little.” Gray chuckled.

Finished with the buttons, Juvia undid her braid and passed her fingers through the waves. “Gods, _everyone_ will know, just one look and they will know.”

“We weren’t quiet.” Gray agreed and when Juvia looked, he already had his shirt back on. “And we’ve been gone for a while. No one will say anything to us, though.” Juvia grabbed her pants and shirt from the floor while her husband took the swords and her dagger. “Next time we do this, no pants, please. It made difficult to… to have it removed.”

“You’ve never had to fight while wearing a dress, Gray-sama, it’s awful.” Juvia chuckled.

“Thank the gods for that; I’d look hideous.” Gray snorted and Juvia giggled.

“What did you think of Juvia’s skills?” She wondered while folding her discarded clothing. “Satisfactory?”

“ _Everything_ that happened in this room was far more than satisfactory.” Gray said and was very amused when Juvia blushed. It was quite a beautiful view. “It makes me feel better knowing that if we are ever in trouble, you will be able to take care of yourself. _Again_ , that is.”

The blunette stepped closer to her husband and tip-toed to give him a peck on the lips. “Juvia might not look it, but she is rather tough.”

He hummed in agreement. “Better have the element of surprise.  Sometimes it is good to be underestimated.”

Gray walked towards the door and missed when Juvia’s smile faltered with his words; her Uncle had told her almost the same thing months before when he arranged the marriage. No one would suspect her when the time come.

She prayed everyday it never did.

**#**

“I thought it was time for me to ask how are things between you and Juvia-chan” Gray felt his father slap him on the back and looked to his right to see the older man grinning “but if castle whispers are to be believed, you two are getting along _very well_.”

Gray felt his cheeks reddening with his father’s implication. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Silver chuckled. “I mean that you two went missing after lunch, some servants heard _very_ interesting noises coming from the locked chambers, Juvia-chan’s hair is no longer in a braid, you look _too_ satisfied, your pants are dirty as if you sat on the floor for a while and there’s a considerable bruise on your neck I am sure there’s nothing to do with this morning’s sword practice.”

His hand went straight to where he remembered Juvia had bitten him a couple of hours before. He pulled the furs closer to him, trying to hide it. “Shit.” He tried to clean his pants using his hands, his furred cape shielding his movements from view. “Seven hells.”

Laughing, Silver patted his son’s back again. “Don’t worry, son. It is a good thing you two are doing so well and no man will judge you for wanting to enjoy married life, Juvia-chan is a very pretty girl. I have heard some of the guards referring to her as the prettiest woman they have ever seen.”

“I don’t want people meddling with my life more than they already do.” Gray groaned. “I hate it when people know my every move.”

“You are a Fullbuster, son. Heir to Winterfell and the North.” Silver told him. “ _Everyone_ wants to know your every move.” He became serious. “I am truly glad this match is working, Gray. I was afraid my decision to marry you would bring you unhappiness.”

Gray’s expression softened a little with his father’s worries. “You didn’t. Juvia is… remarkable. We became friends during the past couple of months, she’s strong and sweet, we get along greatly.”

“I am relieved.” Silver sighed. “I must say I really like her as well, she is here for roughly two months and she already acts as if she’s been here in the North her whole life. Even the servants like her.”

“I know.” Gray’s lips curled up a little. “She has a way about her.”

“She certainly does.” Silver chuckled. “But son, on the _floor_? I thought I raised you more of a gentleman than that.” He said in fake disapproval, he was actually proud of his son. “What Juvia-chan must think?”

Gray’s cheeks started to burn in embarrassment. “Stop it.” He hissed. “It wasn’t exactly planned. Things… _happened_.”

“I don’t doubt they did.” The older Fullbuster snorted. “Speaking of things happening, I got word Ur is back. She arrived last night.”

Even slightly annoyed with his father, Gray couldn’t help it but to smile. “Oh. _That’s_ why you are so annoyingly happy, then.”

“Perhaps.” Silver shrugged, trying not to smile. “She is coming for supper tomorrow, says she wants to meet Juvia-chan.”

“That is good.” Gray nodded. “I will let Juvia know.” Gray stopped walking when something caught his eyes on the wall. He stepped closer and noticed the sweet aroma, the beautiful shade of blue, the same shade as his wife’s hair.

A lonely wild winter rose.

“Oh, we haven’t had wild roses in a while.” Silver said once he noticed what Gray was looking at. “It looks beautiful.”

“It’s the same shade of blue as Juvia’s hair.” Gray looked at his father. “I knew the color was familiar, that’s why I like it so much.”

Silver looked surprised for a moment. “You are right. I never made the connection before, but indeed, it is the same shade.”

Gray plunked the rose from the wall, knowing it wouldn’t last long anyways as it appeared to be in full bloom. He smelled it and nodded to himself, his wife would enjoy receiving it as a gift. He could almost see the beautiful smile she would give him.

Silver’s chuckle caught Juvia’s attention and Gray frowned, making his father say: “Oh, yes. My choice was right.”

**#**

Juvia could smell the sweet scent of the flower her husband had given her the night before; he had been so red-faced it was the cutest thing she had seen in her life when he showed her the winter rose and told her how the shade reminded him of her hair.

He had been right about it: she had placed the rose behind her ear and if not paying attention, anyone could miss the flower.

She searched for his hand under the table and squeezed it, making Gray look her way in question but when she smiled softly at him, he gave her a small smile of his own and his attention returned to his father and Ur Milkovich.

Ur was around Silver’s age, pretty and with all the Northern physical aspects, light skin, dark eyes and hair and rough around the edges. Her hair was cut short, which was very uncommon but it only made her look prettier and younger than she really was.

A widower for more than fifteen years, Ur had a daughter from her marriage and an adopted son who was at Dorne, for the moment. According to Gray, Ur was a midwife and nurse who helped the castle’s Maester, which was how she met the Fullbusters ten years before.

It was clear by the way her father-in-law treated the newcomer that he was completely smitten with her. Silver was a good man, he joked with the people he loved and Juvia had only seen him being truly serious whenever he had his bannermen around, but Juvia knew he felt lonely.

With Ur in the room, Silver didn’t look lonely anymore.

“Next time, please choose a patient who lives closer to Winterfell.” Silver told Ur.

The woman snorted. “Yes, Silver. I will refuse a woman who has a difficult pregnancy just not to travel far away from Winterfell.” She looked in Juvia’s direction and explained. “Lady Smallgrenn had miscarried every time she fell pregnant. This time, she was seven months pregnant when Lord Smallgrenn asked me to stay at their castle, she knew my reputation and since it was a sensible pregnancy, I have been staying at Grennhome until the labor.”

Juvia nodded in understanding. “Is Lady Smallgrenn alright? And her child?”

“Yes.” Ur smiled. “A little girl, healthy despite the hard labor. Lady and Lord Smallgrenn asked me to stay at least one week after an I agreed just to guarantee there wouldn’t have any complications.”

“That’s a relief.” Juvia sighed. “You must be very good at what you do, Ur-sama.”

“Just Ur is fine, I am no Lady to be treated so formally.” Ur told the blunette. “But yes, Lady Juvia. I am quite skilled. I have been a midwife since I was fifteen, my mother had been one before me and she’d take me to help her. I learned about healing later.”

“She is the best.” Silver looked very proud of his… paramour? Juvia wondered, Gray was vague about it, telling her he couldn’t really explain his father’s relationship with the brunette woman. “Everyone wants her to deliver their babies. I told her she would be easier to find if she lived here in Winterfell.” Silver rested his elbow on the table and his chin on his hand.

Juvia raised an eyebrow at that and glanced at her husband, squeezing his hand under the table. Had Silver asked Ur to live in Winterfell with him? Gray glanced back and then raised his eyebrows as if to urge her to listen carefully to the conversation.

“And I told you that if I did, many people would be afraid of asking for me here in the middle of the night and it could complicate the mother’s conditions.” Ur answered Silver without missing a beat.

“Marry me.” He asked, dreamily while looking at the brunette. Juvia’s eyes widened.

“No.” Ur smiled.

Silver grinned. “You will say ‘yes’ one day.”

“But not today.” It was Ur’s response and when she caught Juvia’s expression, she laughed. “Do not worry, dear, this wasn’t the first time he asked.”

“And won’t be the last.” Silver made it clear, grabbing Ur’s hand and for the first time that evening, Juvia saw the woman blush. “I have been asking her for five years and I won’t give up anytime soon.”

“Oh.” Juvia was surprised.

“Son,” Silver said to the younger Fullbuster “when are you thinking on going to The Wall? There has been more deserters the last couple of years than the last decade together and I would like to know why.”

Juvia was confused with the change of the subject. “Are you going to The Wall?” She asked, curious.

“Father and I were talking about it this afternoon. He goes up there every few years and we think it is time I go instead.” Gray told his wife. “I was thinking about going in six months, perhaps?” He glanced at his father who nodded in approval. “We will see if more men desert the Night’s Watch in the meantime.”

“You need to be careful.” Juvia told him.

“Don’t worry. You know I can take care of myself.” He said and Juvia nodded. “I think it is getting late, we should all retire to our chambers.” Gray let go of Juvia’s hand before he got up from his chair, the direwolves that were under the table came from under it. Juvia got up as well and so did Silver and Ur.

Blizzard collected pets from the four while Star sat back, watching them but didn’t protest when they caressed the top of her head when they walked past her. Gray whistled and opened the Hall’s door to let the direwolves get out to the courtyard.

Once they were in their chambers, Juvia turned to her husband. “Why Ur-sama doesn’t accept marrying you father? He didn’t seem to be joking when he asked.”

“He wasn’t.” Gray told her. “Ur’s first marriage wasn’t a good one. The bastard tried to control everything she did, I suspect he hit her too.” He gritted his teeth. “She was only married to him for five years but it left a mark. Perhaps she fears my father will do something similar.”

“She lives here part of the time?” Juvia wondered.

“Yes.” Gray nodded. “It took a long time for him to convince her to stay the night.”

“This is… scandalous.” Juvia said with caution. “Do you mind your father’s relationship with her? You… talked about him and your mother during our wedding night.”

Gray shook his head. “Anyone can see he loves her and she loves him. He was devastated after my mother’s death and the only woman he showed any interest was Ur and as long as she makes him happy, I support it. I don’t care if they are not married, or if it’s scandalous.” He hesitated. “Do you?”

Juvia shook her head and stepped closer to him. “Juvia thinks people find love when we least expect to.”

Looking straight into her eyes, Gray nodded. “Yes, they do.”

“When there are no obstacles, better not to fight it.” She gave him a knowing look, not at all being subtle.

Gray snorted softly. “We’ll see.”

**#**

Six months into their marriage and Juvia couldn’t be happier about her new life. Her husband had become her best friend, she was happy he wasn’t as uncomfortable as before when she twined her arm with his, once a month at least he would tell her they needed to spar to keep her in form (those encounters usually ended like the first one). He allowed himself to laugh more, to touch her.

Silver was the father she never had, always complimenting her, asking for hugs and siding with her whenever his son was around just to rile him up. Ur stayed a lot at the Castle and Juvia developed a fondness for the woman as well, she was harsh and straight to the point most of times but she also had a heart so big she could fit a thousand people.

A certain morning Juvia woke up emptying her stomach on the chamber pot and noticed her husband had already left their room. Juvia usually woke up when he did and she thought it was strange, especially since the night before she was so tired she slept before he even arrived.

Once she stopped feeling sick, the blunette thought it over for a moment to gather her symptoms and try to figure if she could possibly be getting sick.

The moment she realized what could be happening to her, her eyes widened and she asked for a chambermaid to please, fetch Lady Ur as she luckily had slept in the Castle the night before and for her to have her medical bag with her.

It couldn’t have passed twenty minutes when Ur knocked on the door, worried. “Have you sent for me, Juvia?” She had lost the formality when Juvia asked her to. “Are you feeling well?”

“I…” Juvia gulped. “I think perhaps I am… pregnant.” She whispered the last word.

“Oh.” Ur sighed in relief. “I thought you might be miscarrying. You finally realized, huh?”

“What?” Juvia blinked in surprise. “You… knew?”

“I had a strong suspicion.” The brunette chuckled. “I have been doing this for more than twenty years, Juvia, I know what a pregnant woman looks like.” She opened her medical bag and started to look for something inside. “You look tired all the time, your dresses are tight around the breasts and I have overheard the chambermaids wonder how long you do not have your moon blood.”

Juvia was shocked; she should’ve realized all the things Ur had mentioned but she had been clueless.

“How many times did you have your moon blood since you got married?” Ur asked.

“Four times.” She told the older woman after thinking for a few moments.

Ur hummed in agreement and took a small flask from the bag with some herbs, as much as Juvia could see. “Were they all as they always have been? Same amount of time?”

“Yes. Juvia can’t recall thinking anything was amiss.”

“Good.” Ur said and gave Juvia a basin. “I need you to piss here and in a few minutes we will be certain if you are with child or not.”

Wide eyed, Juvia nodded and took the basin; it was time to find out the truth.

**#**

Gray threw a stick to Blizzard’s delight and the direwolf ran to get it; it was funny how while Star was a wolf through and through, Blizzard reminded him of ordinary dogs sometimes, especially because Blizzard was still young and full of energy.

Since Juvia had slept late, Gray decided to take a walk outside the castle just so Blizzard could get more place to run – around that time he usually escorted Juvia to the godswood every couple of days so she could pray. He was getting worried about his wife, he had noticed she had been looking more and more tired; not once she complained about it, though. Perhaps trying to look strong?

He didn’t like it either way. He’d keep an eye on her and if in a few days she wasn’t better, he would talk to the Maester.

“Gray-sama.” He heard her voice and looked over his shoulder. Juvia was coming his way, her dark blue coat tight around her, her hair in its usual waves and somehow she seemed to be glowing, especially since she was grinning and her smile was beautiful.

“Good morning.” Gray told her and turned around in time for her to wrap her arms around his middle. “Oh, did something good happen today or are you hugging me just because I let you sleep in this morning?”

Juvia was radiant when she looked up to him. “Juvia got sick this morning and-”

“Wait, what?” The playfulness was gone from him and was replaced with worry. “What do you mean you got sick?”

“Juvia got sick this morning and it got her thinking about why she was sick.” She kept talking. “Juvia thought of a possibility and called Ur-san for a confirmation and… she confirmed it.” The blunette smiled and took Gray’s hand with hers, placing it over her stomach. “Juvia is pregnant.”

Gray blinked fast while he processed the words. She wasn’t sick, then, she was… pregnant. With his child. He was going to be a father.

“You are pregnant.” Gray repeated dumbly, looking down to where their hands rested on her stomach. “ _Pregnant_.”

“Yes.” Juvia chuckled. “We are going to have a child.”

“We are going to have a child.” He repeated again and looked up to meet her blue eyes. “That’s… we are having a child.”

“We are.” She nodded, her smile widening. “Ur-sama tells Juvia we have around seven months until it arrives.”

Seven months would pass in a blink of an eye, he had been married for six months and it felt as it had been just a couple of weeks before. His heart was beating fast inside his chest, he was starting to sweat because as they spoke, their child was growing inside Juvia’s stomach.

He was scared about being responsible for another life, but he was also… happy.

Gray’s free hand cupped Juvia’s cheek and he kissed her lips, out where anyone could see like he never done before but he didn’t care. He had just found out he was going to be a father, he thought people would understand the impulse.

“You are pregnant.” He finally smiled when their lips unlocked.

“Yes I am.” She giggled. “And Juvia is very happy about it.”

“So am I.” Gray told her. “Father will get very silly about it, I am sure.”

“Juvia doesn’t doubt that at all.” They looked down when they felt Blizzard try to get in the middle of them – Gray had forgotten about the direwolf – and he was so big Juvia had to take a step back. Blizzard looked at Juvia and suddenly Gray was afraid he would jump on her. Usually he stayed put, but he had seen his wolf jump on Juvia on more than one occasion. “Good morning, Blizzard.” Juvia scratched the wolf’s head.

“Blizzard, no jumping on Juvia, alright?” Gray walked around the wolf who tilted its head. “No jumping.” He looked at his wife. “Do not let him jump on you under no circumstances, he doesn’t know his size, he still thinks he is a pup and he could harm you or the child without meaning to.” He put his hand back on her stomach.

“Of course.” Juvia answered him and they were both surprised to see Blizzard sniffing Juvia’s stomach, as if curious. “Do you think… he knows?”

“It’s too soon. Right?” He asked and Juvia shrugged, not knowing the answer. “Let’s get inside and tell my father. You will become his favorite person in the world now.” He smiled when his wife chuckled.

**#**

As predicted, Silver was over the moon with the news and told Juvia how she had made one of his dreams come true. Juvia wrote to her uncle to tell him about the news and received a letter from him, congratulating her on getting pregnant so soon. Juvia didn’t like the sound of that at all but pushed the thought away.

After a month of the discovery, Gray told her he would be going to The Wall sooner than what they had stipulated. He thought it over and he decided it would be best it he went during the beginning of her pregnancy than to risk going later and missing the baby’s birth.

Grudgingly, Juvia accepted his logic and even though she would hate to be without him for two months, she’d rather have him there when she went into labor.

She had just found a small bump on her stomach when Gray was set to leave. He had told her he’d be back before she knew it, his hand gently on the top of the newfound bump. Juvia cried when she kissed him good-bye and must’ve told him a hundred times to be careful while he repeated the words to her and asked her to promise to be safe. He kissed one last time and left.

Silver and Ur kept her company whenever they could and Juvia didn’t feel as lonely as she would have, except during the nights when she missed Gray’s arms around her. She didn’t feel as lonely when she felt their child move for the first time and every time after that.

The feeling was overwhelming, it was something so unique she couldn’t really explain. She knew her baby was there and she hoped it felt how much she already loved it.

Two months later when Gray finally returned, she ran to him – as well as she could with her growing stomach – and honestly didn’t care if half of Winterfell was watching, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug and kissed him. She was happily surprised when he hugged and kissed her back without caring who saw.

“Juvia missed you so much.” The blunette told him in a whisper.

“I missed you too.” He told her and then looked between them to her slightly large stomach. His eyes widened and he put both his hands on the protuberance. “You... When I left I could cover your stomach with just one hand, now…” He was impressed. “You are looking pregnant, now.”

Juvia giggled between happy tears. “Yes, I am. This is what happens when you leave for two months.” Still a bit fascinated by her stomach Juvia had to gently take his hands on hers. “Let’s get inside, your father is waiting for you and Juvia bets you need some hot food and a bath.”

“I do.” He looked up to her face and then back to her stomach before hesitantly look up again.

“Don’t worry, you can ask Juvia whatever you want. And touch Juvia’s stomach to your heart’s content.” She promised. Juvia knew her husband was man who needed to see to believe and when he left, as much as he understood she was pregnant, seeing it had made it real and Juvia was sure he would take a while to examine her body changes.

That night, when they finally went to bed, Gray pushed her nightgown up and his eyes roamed over her figure, trying to figure out what else changed beside the obvious.

He gently put his hands on her stomach. “Have you felt it yet?”

“Yes.” Juvia told him in a whisper, happy to see him there with her again. “If you are lucky, maybe you will too.” He looked up to her, curious. “It is very faint, but Ur-sama have been able to feel it, Silver-sama felt once too.” Just as she finished talking, Juvia felt the baby and moved Gray’s hand to where the feeling had come. “Anytime now.” It took a few seconds, but the baby moved. “There. Did you feel it?”

“Yes!” Gray was clearly trying to contain his excitement. “It was faint, but… yes. Was that it?” Juvia nodded and Gray grinned. He leaned and was about to speak when he looked in Juvia’s direction. “Can it hear me?”

“Ur-sama says no one knows but it doesn’t hurt to try.”

Gray mulled over that information and nodded before leaning again towards her stomach. “Sorry I haven’t been around, I was traveling. But don’t worry, I am back to take care of you and your mother.”

The blunette couldn’t have hold the tears even if she wanted to.

At that moment, her husband whispering about his travels to her stomach, her baby growing strong inside her stomach, Juvia couldn’t be happier.

A week later, everything changed when a raven from her uncle arrived with a message.

It was time.

**#**

Juvia had just finished throwing up for the third time in the past hour when she decided she had to do it at that moment or she would never have the guts to do it.

The letter she received the day before had been clear: her uncle told her it was time she did what she had been sent to do: kill the Fullbusters. It couldn’t be traced back to her or her uncle, though, so her orders were to put poison in the wine as no one would think it was strange for her to deny drinking it – her sense of smell had heightened a lot during her pregnancy so she hadn’t drink wine in months.

She grabbed the small vial she had kept in her trunk for months and left the chambers, shaking and feeling very faint. It was time she’d put her family above anything else.

Juvia found her husband and her father-in-law enjoying a bit of midday wine at the dining hall. She felt her heart break when she caught Gray’s eyes and he smiled when he saw her approaching, getting up to greet her, a hand going immediately to her stomach. Juvia’s eyes watered and Gray’s smile was gone in a second.

“What’s wrong?”

“Juvia… Juvia needs to tell you something.” She said in a whisper, looking down to the floor. She felt Gray gently pull her towards the chair he had been sitting a few moments before. When Juvia looked up, she could see both Fullbusters were looking at her with concern written all over their faces. Without saying a word, Juvia put the small vial on the table and started to cry, her hands on her swollen stomach, feeling her child; she hoped they didn’t hate it like they would hate her.

“Juvia?” Gray was clearly panicking by seeing her cry like that – he had never witnessed her crying like that before. “Juvia, what is that?”

“Juvia-chan, what is going on?” Silver asked gently. “What is this vial?”

“Poison.” She managed to say between sobs. “Juvia was supposed to put it in your wine.”

**#**

Gray kept staring at his wife while she cried as he tried to understand what she had just told them. Did she just say there was poison inside that vial? Did she say she was supposed to pour in their wine?

Was his wife trying to kill him and his father?

“What do you mean, Juvia?” Silver’s voice was hard as steel, then. “Who told you to put poison in our wine?”

“Uncle.” She said in a small voice, looking down to the floor and Gray couldn’t look away from her, not yet. “That is why he wanted Juvia to marry Gray-sama, so she could…” She didn’t finish, didn’t have to.

Gray finally spoke. “You were sent here to kill us.” The moment he had said the words, the numbness he had been feeling, the confusion, turned into a hot ball of anger inside his chest. “You were sent here to _kill_ us?” Gray yelled, angry.

“I…” Juvia opened her mouth to speak and looked up to her husband, but she paled when their eyes met. “Yes.” Her admission made Gray grit his teeth.

“Why.” Silver said, clearly controlling his feelings. “Why would your Uncle want to kill us?”

Juvia’s arms tightened around herself before she answered, crying again. “He said the North needs new guidance and there’s a war coming.” She sobbed. “He said we needed to be on the right side.”

“Whose side?” Silver pressed. “Who will take over the North if we die?” Juvia sobbed, but Silver pressed again. “Juvia, _who_?”

“Invel Yura.” She managed to say and Gray wanted to punch something. “Him and Uncle have been planning this for two years.”

“Why get pregnant if you…?” Silver started to ask but he realized the answer before he finished the question. “It is a Fullbuster. They would marry you to Yura. He’d raise the rightful heir while ruling in its name and then usurp the title of Warden of the North. Am I right?”

“I don’t know.” Juvia told him. “Juvia was just supposed to put the poison in the wine.”

“Why didn’t you? You’ve had the opportunity.” Silver asked. “Why, Juvia?”

“Because Juvia loves you, both of you.” She cried harder. “She could never do it.”

It was as if something woke up inside Gray when he heard her say those words. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know her feelings went deeper than friendship, but hearing it when he had just found out the truth behind their marriage made his stomach turn in anger.

“You _love_ us?” Gray hissed. “How can you…? You just said you were sent here to kill us.” Juvia didn’t look up from the floor and it was making Gray even angrier. “Juvia, look at me.” He said between gritted teeth and after a moment, the blunette did what asked, her eyes were red with all the crying. “Are there any more secrets? Have you lied about anything else?”

She shook her head. “No. This… this was Juvia’s only secret, there’s nothing else.”

“Good.” Gray’s voice was cold turned to his father. “What are we going to do with her?”

“What do you mean?” Silver frowned.

“I mean what are we going to _do_ with her? She had poison with her and confessed there is a plot to kill us.”

“What do you want me to do, Gray? Throw her in the dungeons? Lock her in her room?” Silver asked, livid. “She never went through with the plan, she came here and confessed. She didn’t really _do_ anything wrong.”

“She didn’t?” It was Gray’s turn to be livid, yet angrily. “She has been lying to us for the past year, conspiring to kill us-”

Juvia said, shaking her head. “No, Juvia didn’t. She hoped she never had to-”

“Do _not_ speak to me right now. Or ever again.” Gray glared at her. “I don’t want to fall for any other lie you might tell and I might do something I probably shouldn’t but want to.”

“ _Gray Fullbuster_!” Silver yelled, cutting his son’s rant. “I know you are angry but you _will_ remember you are speaking to your _wife_ and the mother of your unborn child and you will _not_ threaten her. If you are not going to be reasonable, leave.”

Gray’s eyes didn’t wander off his wife, Juvia’s arms were above her stomach as if she wanted to protect it in case of an attack. She was crying quietly and he could see how terrified she was.

He had scared her.

“Fuck.” Gray said in a mix of frustration, anger and hopelessness before he left the room, slamming the door behind him, the loud noise startling the blunette.

Silver sighed once his son left the room and looked at his daughter-in-law. “I apologize, Juvia-chan. You caught us off guard, we would never have imagined…”

“I know.” Juvia whispered. “I don’t blame him for being angry. Or you.”

Silver sighed. “I am not angry, I’m… surprised you didn’t told us sooner.”

“Juvia thought Uncle would change his mind, she thought he wouldn’t go through with this. She hoped… she hoped that letter would never come.” She told her father-in-law in a low voice. “She didn’t want to tell you and start a war if he decided against it.”

“I understand.” Silver felt a migraine coming. “Now that we know, though. We will have to deal with this, Juvia. Do you understand what that means?”

Juvia nodded, her blue curls bounced. “Uncle need to be dealt with.”

“He does.” He hesitated. “I’m afraid I will have to ask you to leave the room whenever we talk about any plans on how to proceed.”

“Yes, Juvia understands.” Without her previous agility, Juvia took a moment longer to get up from the chair, her hand on her stomach.

“How did he even convince you to do this?” Silver asked, curious; she didn’t seem the type to be a murderess.

“Juvia’s House words are ‘We Live For The Family’ and she always lived by that. He told Juvia how she must honor those words.” She told him. “Uncle didn’t realize _this_ is Juvia’s family now.”

**#**

Silver sighed heavily when he saw his son at the tree line outside Winterfell, using his sword to hit a large tree; he must’ve been doing it for a while, the tree was in a bad shape. Blizzard was a few feet away, seated and looking at Gray, curious to why the human was attacking a tree.

“Gray.” Silver called and Gray stopped hitting the tree for a moment to look at his father, resuming the attack a second later. “Gray, we need to talk. I gave you the hour to calm down.”

“Where is she?” Gray asked panting between blows.

“I sent her to her chambers.” The older Fullbuster said. “She was shaking like a leaf and I wouldn’t want her to faint and hurt herself.”

The words made Gray stop hitting the tree but he didn’t turn to look at his father. “I would never hurt her.”

Silver nodded. “I know.”

“I only said that… I don’t even know why.” Gray said and hit the tree again. “I am just so fucking angry.” He turned to Silver looking as angry, frustrated and heartbroken as Silver thought he’d be. “I never saw it coming, father. She could’ve killed both of us and I wouldn’t have seen it coming.”

“No, she couldn’t.” Silver told his son. “I do not think Juvia could’ve gone through with it even if she didn’t love our family. You told me she can fight and I can see her killing to protect herself or others, but murder? No, not her.”

“This is crap.” Gray’s sword hit the tree again. “She had a long time to tell us, to…”

“She hoped her Uncle never asked it of her to go through the plan.” Silver told him. “You know her, by now, you know this is something she would think.”

“Oh, do I? Do I really know her?” Gray finally turned to his father and he pointed the sword to Winterfell. “I just find out the woman I’m married to and is _pregnant_ with my child has been hiding the fact her Uncle has been trying to decimate my family. For all I know every single thing she told me, is a lie. Every story, every childhood memory.” Gray breathed deeply, dropping his arm in defeat. “How can I trust her after knowing that? How can I even look at her?”

“Gray, do you know how difficult her choice to talk to us must’ve been?” Silver stepped closer to his son. “You think she betrayed us but she didn’t. She betrayed Jose Porla, her uncle, the man who raised her, the man who is her family.” He put a hand on Gray’s shoulder. “The man who _was_ her family. She had to make a difficult choice and she chose us.” He hesitated, knowing the topic was frail at best. “Son, it is okay if you are hurt because the woman you love kept secrets from you; important secrets and you feel betrayed.”

Gray took a step back. “I don’t love her.” He shook his head in denial. “She was just my friend, we were just friends. Not anymore.”

Choosing to drop the subject of his feelings for the moment, Silver pointed. “You will have a child with her in just a few months, son. You will have to be friendly to her, if not for Juvia, for the child.”

“Perhaps.” Gray admitted. “But not yet. I can’t yet.”

Silver nodded after a moment, Gray was hurt and he wanted to lick his wounds. Silver couldn’t blame him, Juvia’s revelation was a surprise even for him; his son, who had fallen in love with the girl, would need some time to see things in a different light.

Gray needed time to think straight again.

“I think we should call the bannermen.” Silver told his son. “We must deal with Porla and Yura before they try anything else.”

The slightly change of subject from his wife to possible battles made Gray’s body relax a little. “Yes. We need to make sure there are no other plans to kill us.”

Nodding, Silver walked to where Blizzard was and petted the grey direwolf. “I will go back to the castle. Do you think you will take much longer out here?”

Gray shook his head. “I’m still angry but now I need to think.”

“I see.” Silver sighed. “Go back inside when you thought enough.”

Gray nodded and Silver walked back to Winterfell, already planning on summoning Ur, he needed her around.

**#**

“You should eat another piece of bread, Juvia.” Ur suggested, cutting a rather large piece of the sweet bread. “You barely ate the eggs.”

Gray glanced up quickly just to see Juvia looking up from her half-full plate and shaking her head. “Thank you, Ur-sama, but Juvia is full.”

They were seated at opposite sides of the table. It had been ten days since Juvia’s revelation and they hadn’t spoken a word to each other since, hadn’t touched her, hadn’t slept next to her. Juvia was quick to disappear every time he came into a room she was already in. Perhaps he scared her more than he thought, that day.

Gray’s anger was still there, he looked at her and remembered of the vial and he wanted to kick himself. How did he lower his defenses so much he failed to notice she kept something from him?

One look into her blue eyes and Gray turned into a silly boy who gave her wild winter roses, who let her twine their arms together as they walked outside and who allowed her to kiss him in public.

He couldn’t think with her around.

“You had a piece of bread, perhaps one egg and half a glass of milk.” Ur told her. “We talked about this, Juvia. You need to eat more.”

“I get sick if I do. Juvia will try to have a big lunch.” Juvia said, trying to whisper so Gray couldn’t hear them, he guessed, when she glanced his way and saw he was watching her. “We will talk later, Juvia wants to go to the godswood, she hasn’t been there in a few days.” She got up and when Ur made as if she would too, Juvia shook her head. “Please, finish your food. Juvia needs some quiet and she shouldn’t drag you to an hour of silence.”

“Are you sure, Juvia-chan?” His father asked, worried.

“We are in Winterfell, Silver-sama, Juvia thinks she can go to the godswood without problems.” The blunette tried to smile but it didn’t reach her eyes, Gray noticed and he bet everyone else did too. “Excuse me.”

Blizzard wigged his tail when Juvia passed by him and gave him a scratch on the head and Star did the same – the female direwolf had taken a stronger liking on Juvia since she had gotten pregnant. They didn’t even have to get up from their lying positions on the floor for Juvia to pet them.

Once Juvia left the hall, Ur turned to the Fullbuster men. “I am worried about Juvia.” Gray tensed. “Since your… altercation” Ur said looking pointedly at the younger man to let him know she was aware of what happened “she hasn’t been eating well and she should’ve been bigger by this point of her pregnancy.”

“Do you think she’s aware of this?” Silver asked, concerned.

“No.” Ur shook her head. “I have seen her try to eat more and her reaction was too visceral and so was the surprise.” The brunette sighed. “I have seen mothers whose minds got sick while they fell pregnant. I think Juvia might be one of them, that is why you need to talk to her soon, Gray.”

“I…”

“She loves your child, Gray and I see she tries but when this disease takes ahold of you, it is difficult to fight it.” She held his gaze. “It is early stages still, she might be able to fight it back. I know you don’t hate her, Gray. I know you are just hurt and confused but please, think about the consequences of this long silence.”

The past ten days had been horrible for Gray and he could see Juvia wasn’t faring too well either. He had been watching her, of course, to make sure he didn’t miss any other lies or secrets and he could see how sad she was, even when caressing her stomach.

He missed doing that. He shouldn’t, he was crazy for it, but he missed her.

“I will.” Gray promised. If it was hurting Juvia and their unborn child, he would speak to her soon. They needed to reach to a common ground if they would remain living together.

Ur nodded in relief and started to talk to his father so Gray lost himself in thought until five or ten minutes later both Blizzard and Star got up abruptly. Gray frowned and it deepened when they snarled lowly before sprinting towards the door, still snarling.

Something was wrong.

He didn’t know why, but cold ran down his spine as Juvia’s image popped inside his mind.

Gray was on his feet a second later and when his father asked what he was doing, Gray looked over his shoulder and yelled: “Juvia is out there.”

He followed the direwolves the best he could as they were much faster but the snarling was still clear. Something was terribly wrong.

“Don’t go to the godswood, please.” Gray thought and panicked inside his head when the wolves turned in the direction of the godswood, the place where Juvia had gone to a few minutes before.

 _“No!”_ Gray was close enough to hear his wife’s scream as she asked for help and his blood ran cold. _“No! Help!”_ He heard again.

The gate was closed and the wolves were howling and snarling, without a way to get inside when Gray arrived.

“Juvia!” He yelled, his trebling hands opening the gate and the minute they could pass, the wolves ran towards the screams. “Juvia!” Gray followed the wolves. He didn’t have a sword on him, didn’t have means to defend himself but it didn’t stop him from running to his wife.

Gray finally saw his wife standing facing a man, a shocked looked on her face, her hand on her stomach and she seemed to be bleeding. He only caught a glimpse of the man who had attacked her, his dagger up, clearly aiming for her again, one of his hands holding her dress and the next thing Gray saw was Star jump on the men, followed by Blizzard and the man’s screams.

The man released Juvia with the impact, she fell behind and hit her head on a rock, if his eyes didn’t deceive him and Gray never felt more afraid than he had been at that moment. “No! Juvia!”

He ran to her, not even bothering to look at the man – the wolves would take care of him. Gray knelt beside her and the first thing he noticed was that she had two dark stains on her dress, one on her shoulder and the other on her stomach.

“No. Juvia.” Gray gathered her in his arms, eyes watering when he saw there was a large gash on the side of her head that was bleeding. “Juvia, wake up. Wake up, come on.” He put a hand on her stomach and looked down when he felt it moist; he had touched where she had been hurt and the blood there made his eyes widen. “Juvia, please, wake up.”

Seeing she wasn’t going to wake up, Gray picked her up. She only had a chance if the Maester saw her immediately.

“You will be fine.” He told her while taking her in his arms, feeling her blood coming from her shoulder soak his shirt. “You will be fine.” The commotion he heard when he grew closer to the gate, made him yell. “Someone get the Maester now!” He didn’t stop when he was close to the guards. “ _Now_!” He said angrily and kept going towards the tower.

“What happened?” Silver was coming their way but he halted when he saw his daughter by law in his son’s arms, bleeding and limp as a rag doll. “Juvia? What-?”

Gray ignored her father because he spotted Ur just a few feet behind him and she was his best chance. “Juvia was stabbed on her stomach.” He didn’t stop while talking to her.

The brunette paled but recovered quickly. “Take her to your room, I will go ahead and take my bag.” Ur ran ahead of him and Gray looked down to his wife.

“You will be fine.” He all but ran upstairs and once they were in front of their chambers, he kicked the door, placing his wife gently on their bed. “Ur is coming, you will be fine. You just need to wake up.” Gray told her. “Please, open your eyes.” Juvia was so pale, she looked so fragile Gray thought she was dead. “Please, don’t die.”

The next thing he knew, Ur was in the room, ordering for him to leave, then his father’s hands on his shoulders when Gray refused to leave. He fought, but his father managed to take him out of the room when the Maester arrived.

The sound of their chambers being closed echoed inside Gray’s mind while he looked down to his hands and shirt covered in blood, looking lost.

“Please, don’t die.” He whispered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *leaves this here and runs*  
> 


	3. Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn’t as long as the others, sorry, but I hope it’s more intense.

 

They waited for a long time outside the couple’s chambers, so long Silver asked for a chambermaid to find a clean shirt for Gray and to bring a basin with water so his son could clean himself with because it was obvious Gray wasn’t leaving until they had news.

Silver looked down to his son, who was seated on the floor, hands on each side of his head and he couldn’t begin to imagine what Gray was feeling at that moment; if Silver’s feelings of hopelessness and impotence were any indication, his poor son felt much, much worse.

Knowing his son, Silver chose not to say anything yet but he didn’t leave, his presence was going to comfort him and sometimes all Gray ever needed was to not feel alone.

The chamber’s door opened and Gray was on his feet in a fraction of a second, eyes wide open and clearly upset. The Maester, an old man called Benson and Ur stepped outside.

“How is she?” Gray asked. “And the baby?”

Silver’s heart stopped for a second and if Gray had been in his right mind then, his would too; Ur’s and the Maester’s expressions said a lot and Silver felt cold down his spine when he stepped closer to his son, knowing he’d need his support.

“Gray.” It was Ur who spoke, softly and with kind, but sad eyes. “You saw before all of us what that knife did to Juvia and where it hurt her.” Gray frowned, clearly in confused denial but Silver could guess where she was going with it and it broke his heart. “It was a rather deep stab wound and it did a lot of damage to the child and we did everything we could, but...”

“What do you mean?” Gray managed to whisper.

Ur sighed and grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry, Gray. We weren’t able to stop the bleeding and I’m afraid Juvia is having a miscarriage.”

Silver closed his eyes when he finally heard the words, his assumption when he saw his lover and the Maester were correct and he never hated more to be right than at that moment. He opened his eyes a second later, stepping even closer to his son so he could put a hand on his shoulder.

“No.” Gray shook his head and pulled his hand away from Ur, getting angry. “No. Try again, try to stop whatever is bleeding, again.”

“Gr-” Silver tried but Gray stepped closer to Ur and the Maester, fury in his expression.

“Go and try again. Now.” He said between gritted teeth. “ _Now._ Go and try again.”

Ur stopped Silver when the older Fullbuster tried to talk to his son. Instead, she looked at Gray right in the eyes and told him slowly: “It’s too late now, Gray. It already happened, she lost too much blood for it to survive.”

“No.” He shook his head again. “It can’t be.”

“ _Gray_.” Ur’s voice was firmer and he looked at her again. “I am sorry.”

It took Gray a few seconds to process the words and Silver noticed the moment he finally accepted them as true because his shoulders dropped. Silver watched as Gray took a few steps back, eyes shining with tears. He rested his body on the stony wall, bent over, sobbing quietly, the heels of his hands over his eyes.

Silver’s own eyes watered, feeling pain to see his son like that and for losing his unborn grandchild. Just a couple of weeks before they all were happy and excited and now…

“How about Juvia?” He cleared his throat and asked the Maester, who looked sad with the scene; Gray wasn’t known to show much emotion and just the fact he did in those circumstances was heartbreaking. “How is she?”

“Lady Juvia’s injuries are not life-threatening as they are, but what worries me is the wound on her head.” Maester Benson told the Lord. “Headwounds are unpredictable. It could be just a small bump, it could be something more. If she wakes up in the next few hours, it is safe to assume she will be fine.”

“If she doesn’t?” Silver asked what Gray couldn’t.

The Maester glanced at Gray before he told Silver: “Let’s hope she does. Lady Juvia is young, healthy and the wounds aren’t as severe as we thought they would be now that we stopped the bleedings. She has good chances.”

Silver turned to his lover. “You said she’s miscarrying. Shouldn’t she be awake to…?”

“No.” Ur shook her head. “Her body knows what to do and I will be with her through it, in case she needs some kind of help.”

“I see.” Silver gulped.

“We need to go back inside.” Maester Benson told his Lord and bowed before he went back inside the chambers, leaving Ur behind for the moment.

She put a hand on Silver’s cheek. “I will go take care of her.” Ur told Silver, who nodded. “Take care of _him_ while I’m in there, alright?” Silver nodded and watched as Ur glanced at Gray with pity in her eyes before she too went inside the room.

**#**

_‘If this is a nightmare, please, let me wake up.’_ Gray thought while he felt a few tears roll down his cheek.

He knew it wasn’t, knew Ur and Maester Benson spoke the truth and his unborn child was no longer alive and if someone had plunged a dagger into his heart it wouldn’t have hurt as much.

Both he and Juvia had been so happy when they found out about their child, she glowed whenever she put her hands on her growing stomach and smiled.

Gray felt his father put his arm around him when the older man sat beside him and Gray felt slightly better to not being alone.

“I’m so sorry, Gray.” Silver whispered, pulling his son closer and kissing the top of his head. “I’m _so_ sorry, son.”

“I haven’t spoken to her in ten days.” He told his father. “I was so angry that I… I haven’t spoken to her in _ten_ days.”

Silver sighed. “Gray…”

“The last time I felt our child was ten days ago.” Gray whispered, drying a stray tear off his cheek. “And now my wife is in that room, without knowing what is happening and if she doesn’t wake up, she will never know I never hated her.”

“She will wake up.” Silver told his son.

“Yes? And will she be happy to?” Gray wondered. “She will wake up and know our child is gone.” His eyes watered again after saying the words, but Gray fought them off.

“No, that will wreck her even more than it is wrecking you and she is going to need you, Gray.” Silver said. “The next few days will be the worse of your lives, perhaps, and you need to stick together.”

“How will she even look at me, father?” Gray asked in a small voice and Silver frowned in confusion. “I… I was supposed to protect her. I was supposed to protect _them_ and I failed and now our child is dead. How can I live with myself?”

“Listen to me, Gray.” Silver waited until his son looked up before speaking. “ _No one_ other than the people who ordered Juvia’s attack is responsible for this, do you understand me?” He sighed when Gray didn’t answer, just looked down again. “I can only imagine how much this hurts, son, but you will go through it.”

Gray chose to stay quiet and accepted his father’s arm around his shoulders once again while he waited and minutes were never so long before.

**#**

“You can come in now.” Ur declared after ushering the maid who had helped them, out alongside with the Maester. Gray stood next to his father, who hadn’t left his side since it all happened, and nodded. “I will give you a few minutes alone.”

Gray took a few steps towards the bedroom but stopped next to Ur, who looked at him in confusion. With a rough voice barely louder than a whisper, he asked: “What was it?”

Ur’s dark eyes softened. “A girl, she had just a thin strand of blue hair.”

The knot that had loosened a little while he waited, tightened again. A girl. If everything had gone without problems, in a few months he’d have a daughter in his arms, in Juvia’s arms. In his head, the image of a little girl with Juvia’s blue curls made his heart ache even more and he had to fight off the tears.

He gulped. “Do you… do you think we should see her, or…?”

“No.” Ur shook her head and put a hand on Gray’s shoulder. “Best not, Gray.”

Gray nodded and straightened his back. “Thank you.”

The first thing he noticed when he entered the chamber was how cold the room was, the second was the basin with bloody rags on the floor next to the bed – his stomach turned with the sight but he stepped closer to their bed and his heart stopped for a second.

Juvia’s skin was so pale Gray hesitated to touch her but he slowly sat on the bed, facing her and took her hand into his. She wasn’t as cold as he expected but far colder than he would’ve liked; he needed to start the fire soon even though she had two blankets covering her up to her neck.

“Juvia.” He called in a whisper. “Please, wake up.” She didn’t move and Gray closed his eyes, bringing her hand to his lips. “I’m so sorry I was an idiot. I’m sorry. Please, wake up.” He sighed and remembered the last time they had been together in the room.

The day before, just before lunch, he had gone to their chambers to get some clean shirts and Juvia entered the room. They looked at each other for two seconds before Juvia looked down to the floor, hands on her stomach. Gray took the shirts he wanted and left the room.

He didn’t slam the door, which was an improvement from the past few days, his anger was subduing slowly but he still couldn’t talk to her. He took a few calming deep breaths and was about to leave when he heard Juvia’s voice from inside.

_“Don’t worry, baby. It’s Juvia he is angry with, not you, alright? He still loves you.”_

“If I knew…” Gray whispered, fresh tears falling as complete heartache took over him. He had loved that child from the second she told him about it and now it was gone. “Fuck, Juvia. I wasn’t angry with you. I’m sorry you thought I was. Please, wake up.” He sobbed, his body shaking as he cried. “I’m so sorry.”

**#**

“How is she?” Silver asked when he got inside the room a few hours later, Star and Blizzard following him and crowded the room. The Maester had gone to his room to get more supplies and Ur went down the kitchen to get food for them but Gray wasn’t going to leave anytime soon.

“Asleep.” Gray answered passing a hand through his hair, getting more and more nervous; it was almost dusk and Juvia was still unconscious. He watched Blizzard approach the bed slowly and sniff Juvia’s face. “Blizzard.” The direwolf stopped what he was doing and sat next to Gray’s chair. “You and Star arrived just in time.” He petted the direwolf’s soft fur. “If you hadn’t run to her, no one would have arrived in time. At least now she has a chance.” Blizzard bumped his nose on Gray’s hand in affection and he almost smiled.

“I cleaned them before they were allowed inside, everyone else was too scared and with reason; from the neck down, the man who attacked Juvia was in shreds.” Silver said and when Gray looked in his direction, saw his father petting Star.

“Good for him.” Gray said, anger in his voice and Star tilted her head, most likely confused with his unusual tone “If he hadn’t died and I had put my hands on him, he’d wish he were because I wouldn’t have been so quick.” Gray wasn’t a cruel man, never were but after what happened, after knowing their child was lost because of that man, Gray would’ve been cruel. He glanced at his wife and then looked back to his father. “Do we know who sent that man here? Or how he got inside?”

Silver sighed and shook his head. “We will have more answers when Juvia wakes up and tell us what happened.” The older Fullbuster stepped closer to the bed his daughter by law rested and looked at her. “The Maester said she has a good chance to wake up.”

“I’m afraid she won’t.” Gray revealed his fear to his father, eyes back on the still form of his wife. “Knowing what happened… it will break her heart.”

“She is a strong girl.” Silver told him.

The door opened and Ur asked for the wolves to be removed from inside and after a whistle from Silver, both Star and Blizzard went out of the door. Silver had pulled Ur outside for a few minutes before he noticed Juvia’s face move a little.

His breath got caught in his throat as he waited, hoping it hadn’t been a trick of the light that made him see it. Juvia’s brow furrowed, eyes fluttered and Gray finally released his breath.

“Ur! Ur, she’s waking up!” He yelled, getting up to sit next to his wife. “Juvia? Juvia, can you hear me?” Ur got inside, followed by his father but he paid no attention to them. “Juvia?”

“Hm?” Her eyes were still heavy but he was certain she had answered to him and he could almost cry in relief.

Silver gently pulled his son away so Ur could step closer to the blunette. “Juvia, can you hear me?” Gray walked to the other side of the bed to have a better look at his wife and saw her heavy eyelids closing but she nodded. “Good, darling.” Ur was relieved. “Do you need anything?”

Juvia’s brow furrowed even more and she whispered: “Water.”

Silver was faster to get the goblet and the water jug by the fire and Gray helped Ur when she needed to put Juvia seated. Gray pulled Juvia closer to him long enough so Ur could put a few pillows behind the blunette so she could seat. Only then Gray saw her left shoulder was bandaged, her left arm folded on her chest and also restrained so she couldn’t move and tear the stiches up, presumably.

Juvia sipped the water and seemed to be slowly gathering her surroundings as her consciousness returned. She looked at Gray and then Ur followed by Silver, confused and winced in pain, putting her hand on her temple where she had a deep wound. “It hurts.” She was getting more and more confused by the second. “My shoulder too. What happened?”

Gray’s eyes widened. He wasn’t ready to tell her, in her mind she was still pregnant, with their baby growing inside her safely and in just a few seconds, that would be shattered and replaced by the horrible reality.

“You were attacked.” Ur told her slowly. “Don’t you remember?”

Frown getting deeper, Juvia stayed in silence for a moment. “At… at the godswood? There was a man there with a knife.”

“Yes.” Ur nodded.

“He stabbed my shoulder.” Juvia’s mind was clearing up. “He…” Gray saw the moment she remembered where the man hurt her next because she got even paler, her eyes widened, looking down to herself and her hand went straight to her stomach. “He… He… Oh, gods.” Juvia’s breathing became faster and faster. “He hurt me here.” Her hand was above the bandages and when she looked up, terrified and her eyes were watering. “Tell me the baby is okay, please. I… I can’t feel it. Oh, gods, I can’t feel it. You have to check to- to- to- see if it’s hurt…”

“Juvia.” Gray finally spoke, knowing it should be him to tell her and her attention went to him. Gray’s own eyes were stinging with unshed tears. “The baby _was_ hurt during your attack.” He saw her gasp and his next words were so difficult he almost couldn’t utter them. “It led to a miscarriage.”

Juvia kept staring at him for a long moment, eyes shining with tears and he saw in her expression the disbelief and horror she was feeling. She shook her head.

“No. Juvia felt it earlier today.” Juvia said and looked at Ur. “Tell him he’s wrong.” Juvia asked the woman, pleading. “You- you- you told me I wouldn’t feel it sometimes. You to-told me.” Tears fell from her eyes.

Ur’s voice was soft when she spoke. “I am sorry, Juvia, but Gray is telling you the truth.”

The blunette shook her head and Gray saw her fingers dug into the skin of her stomach. “You are lying.” She looked in his way. “Why are you lying to me? This is cruel.”

“Juvia, I am not lying.” He grabbed her hand and sat closer to her. “I am sorry, but it is the truth.”

“No.” She pulled her hand away from his and hit his shoulder as if by doing it, she could avoid the truth. “No.” She did it again a few more times, crying, hitting him stronger and Gray let her before he wrapped his arms around her when he saw her try to free her other arm, but she fought him off. “No. You are _lying_!” She screamed, pushing him away, but Gray didn’t let her knowing she needed him and if he didn’t, she could burst the stitches. “No, let me go.” She started to scream to be let go a few times. “You are lying! Give me back my baby! I need my baby, I can’t feel it.” She fought him even more but Gray tightened his arms.

She looked up to him, eyes already swollen because of her tears and there was despair in her expression. “Please. _Please_ , I need my baby back. I will do anything.” She begged in desperation and Gray wanted to cry because there was nothing he could have done. “Please, Gray. _Please_. I need our baby back. Please, I can’t lose it. Please, please, please.”

It was hard, but he managed to say: “I’m sorry, Juvia.”

She hid her face on the crook of his neck, screamed “ _No!_ ” and Gray knew it was the moment she finally realized it wasn’t a nightmare, it was the moment reality sank in because she went lax for a moment and Gray thought she had passed out until he felt her hand stop trying to push him away. Instead, her arm was around him, her hand clawed his back and the most terrifying scream came from deep inside her; the sound of a mother who had just lost her child and it chilled Gray to the bone.

The sounds she was making, Gray never heard it before; they weren’t human. It was the purest sound of agony and pain he had ever heard. It sent shivers down his spine, it broke his heart all over again and Gray imagined the hall carried the sound throughout the castle because he could swear the only sound in Winterfell at that awful moment were Juvia’s screams of despair and a howl coming from outside the window – in the back of his mind he recognized as Star’s.

Gray held her tight, a few tears falling and his feeble whispering ‘I’m sorry’ onto her hairline drowned by her screams would never leave his mind.

It wouldn’t leave the minds of anyone in Winterfell.

**#**

Gray was exhausted.

Juvia had screamed and cried in his arms for such a long time he could barely feel his arms with how tight he held her but he didn’t mind. If he could, he would’ve stayed like that for even more time but the Maester needed to examine her wounds.

“Juvia.” Gray whispered and she could finally hear him, since her screams turn into quiet sobs a few minutes before. “Maester Benson need to take a look at you.” He had told her. “Your wounds are bleeding.”

He waited and Juvia’s arm loosened around him and he finally lied her back onto the pillows. She looked like a mess, eyes swollen, tear stroked face, a large gash on the side of her head and the picture of pain and sorrow.

Gray was got up from the bed to let the Maester work, when she grabbed his hand and at that moment he realized how young she still was because she looked like a scared little girl, hurt and confused.

“Don’t leave me.” She whispered, voice rough after so long screaming in agony. “Please.”

"Never.” Gray sat back on the bed, that time with his back on the headboard and an arm around her shoulder, careful not to put any weight on her shoulder.

The Maester removed the bandages, cleaned the wound on her shoulder, wrapping it up again but when he started working on the wound on her stomach, neither of them could look at it. Juvia cried while the Maester cleaned the wound and Gray had his eyes close tight.

Thankfully Maester Benson was quick and finished as soon as he could. He gave Juvia a cup with a sweet-smelling liquid and Juvia drank it without even noticing, it appeared, her eyes were fixed on the fireplace and it felt as if she was deep inside her mind.

“This will help Lady Juvia sleep, my lord.” The Maester told Gray, who nodded. “Perhaps I should leave some for you?”

Gray shook his head. “No.” He needed his mind clear. “Thank you, Maester Benson. You can go eat your supper, I will stay with Lady Juvia for now.”

“Sir-”

“Maester Benson.” Gray said with a firm voice. “Please.”

The older man nodded after a few moments and mumbled he’d be back soon. Gray kicked off his boots without letting go of his wife and put his feet up on the bed. He kissed the top of Juvia’s head, one hand caressing her hair and the other firmly holding her hand.

“I would have given my life for this to never have happened.” Gray told her. “I am so sorry I wasn’t there, I’m sorry I wasn’t faster, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

The blunette didn’t say anything at first. “I keep thinking I’m feeling it.” Juvia whispered after a moment and Gray stilled the hand on her hair for a moment. “Juvia’s mind is playing tricks because she gets hope a miracle happened.”

“Juvia, Ur was here with you when…” He couldn’t finish. “I’m sorry, but there won’t be a miracle.”

“I know.” She sniffed and they stayed in silence for a few minutes before she asked, quietly: “Did you see it?”

“No.” Gray whispered back. “Ur thought it would be better if I didn’t.” He hesitated, not knowing if he should tell her or not. “She told me what it was, though.”

Juvia’s body stiffened and she looked up. “What was it?”

“A girl with blue hair.”

Her eyes watered and she nodded, her head back at resting on his shoulder. “Sapphire.” She whispered.

“Sorry?”

“It is what Juvia would have called her.” The blunette whispered, tightened her hand on his and sniffing. “Fullbusters name their children after colors.”

“We do.” Gray felt the lump that was constant inside his throat that day, tighten; their lost child had a name at last. “Sapphire is a beautiful name.”

Gray kept caressing her hair until he felt her hand loosen on his and her breathing become even – the medicine the Maester gave her finally took and Gray stayed next to her for a few minutes more before he got up from the bed after removing one of the pillows from behind her.

Juvia looked as if she had been to a battle and in a way, she did. A battle they lost, sadly but the war was just beginning.

Gray’s heart was burning with rage, things weren’t supposed to happen that way but as they did, they couldn’t change it, they couldn’t go back and undo it, but they could fight back and they would.

Whoever called Juvia’s attack, whoever killed their Sapphire, would pay.

**#**

The Maester kept giving Juvia the medicine so she could rest, since whenever she tried to sleep without it, she had nightmares that made her move too much and it was fundamental she’d stay still because of her stitches.

Gray slept whenever he could but he also was plagued with dreams of running towards his wife and never arriving at time. He dreamt about multiple stab wounds on her stomach, her blue eyes pale and wide as she looked into nothingness, he dreamt of blood.

The day the bannermen arrived in Winterfell, Gray and his father had already put some pieces together and the only explanation to Juvia’s attack was that one of their bannermen had informed either Jose Porla or Invel Yura about calling the banners. It would be easy for either of them to find the timing odd and figure out Juvia’s betrayal.

Both of them would pay for it.

The Hall was filled with the Lords and Ladies of the North and of course by then they all knew about what had happened to Juvia, how she had lost their child after she was attacked.

“My Lords, my Ladies.” Gray said from behind the desk at the far end of the Hall, his father next to him, Silver had agreed to let Gray have the lead that day. “Thank you for coming to Winterfell.” He looked around and saw some of the Lords nod his way. “I know that moving your armies in such hurry is chaos, but I am glad you all arrived here safely.

“The reason I called you here is because one of the bannermen of House Fullbuster has been conspiring to kill my family and just a few days ago, he managed to take my unborn child away from me.” Most Lords’ eyes widened – they had thought some Southern lord had called the attack, most likely. “The culprits are Lord Jose Porla and Lord Invel Yura.”

Whispers bloomed around the Hall as the names sank in, most of them knew both men in question.

“Isn’t Jose Porla your wife’s uncle?” Lord Redfield asked.

“Yes.” Deciding to not leave anything as a secret, Gray braced himself for his next revelation. “My wife was the one they sent to kill us.” A stunned second of silence followed by a loud outburst almost made Gray get a headache but he let the men and women have their moments of outrage. “ _My Lords_.” Gray had to say a few times to get their attention again. “Trust me, I was more shocked than any of you.”

“Are you saying Lady Juvia is a killer?” A man with red hair and beard whom Gray recognized as Lord Ashleigh, said.

“No. I told you she was sent here to kill us by her uncle. She couldn’t do it and confessed to my father and me.” Gray explained. “She could have done and no one would be the wiser, no one would have seen it coming. She chose to tell us the truth. I was angry when I found out about my wife’s part in this plan, I admit, but trust me when I say she never really meant to hurt us, unlike her uncle. Lord Invel wants the North for himself, he wants to be Warden of the North. Knowing my wife had betrayed them, they orchestrated the attack.”

Lord Greaves got up from his seat. “An attack inside the castle is highly unlikely to have had happened without help. How can we be certain Lady Fullbuster isn’t still aiding them? She was sent here to-”

“ _My Lord_.” Gray said with anger and in a loud tone. “You are in my castle, under my roof as a guest. Do _not_ speak another ill word about my wife, _your Lady_ , or I won’t answer for myself.” Gray’s voice was pure ice and there wasn’t a sound inside the Hall. “Four days ago I held her as she screamed for our lost child for _hours_ so don’t you _dare_ say another word.” Lord Greaves paled and sat back down slowly while Gray took a few calming breaths

“My wife was naïve, she was hopeful it never came down to choose between her uncle and us; she didn’t want to start a war between our Houses, but when the moment of the truth arrived, she showed more courage than I have seen in many men I know.” Gray looked around the Hall. “She knew we could have her punished, we could have had her killed for treason but she chose the honorable path. She showed more integrity in just one single moment than some people show during their entire lives. And what do they do about that? They sent someone to kill her, a _pregnant woman_ , and a threat on my family is a threat on me.

“That attack _killed_ our child, that attack tore my wife’s heart out from her chest and I was helpless. I never knew they would attack us in our home like that.” Gray’s voice started to get stronger with each word. “They need to be reminded once again how the North won’t take this _murder_.” Some of the Lords started to nod. “They need to be brought to justice. They need to see for themselves how winter is coming for them, how the _North_ is coming for them.” The Lords were muttering in agreement. “They need to be reminded to not mess with us, because our memories are long: _the North remembers_ , and always will.”

With chants of ‘The North remembers’, the Lords rose up from their chairs, raised their goblets with wine, most of them nodding Gray’s way. He looked over his shoulder and saw his father, still seated, looking at him, proud as ever.

Silver nodded his son’s way and Gray’s gaze returned to the Lords, raising his chin, knowing he was doing the right thing.

**#**

Gray arrived in their chambers and was surprised to see his wife awake, seated on their bed and looking at the fire. Whenever she was awake, her eyes were a bit unfocused because of the medicine the Maester gave her, it felt as she wasn’t entirely there but when she looked at him when he closed the door behind him, Gray could see no trace of that in her eyes.

“Hi.” He whispered, stepping closer after taking off his heavy cloak with furs.

“Hi.” Juvia whispered back.

Sitting on the bed facing her, Gray took her hand on his. “How are you feeling?”

“It still hurts, but Maester Benson said Juvia didn’t need the medicine anymore if she didn’t want to. She didn’t want to, it made her mind get foggy.”

Gray nodded. “That’s good, you are getting better but even so, you should rest.”

“Juvia has rested for the past four days, she wants to talk to you, now.”

“Yes?”

Juvia’s eyes watered but she didn’t cry. “I am sorry.” Gray was confused. “It was Juvia’s secrets that led us to lose our child. I… I should’ve taken care better care of Sapphire, but I couldn’t and I’m… I’m sorry.” She started to cry and Gray put his arms around her as she hid her face on the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Juvia, no.” Gray kissed her temple. “Oh, gods, please don’t think that. How can you think you were at fault in any of that?” He pushed her away gently and put his hands on her cheeks. “You did the right thing, you did what you could and no one other than the people who wants us dead is at fault here.” He paraphrased what his father had told him four days before. “Stop thinking that, please.”

“It hurts so much still, Gray-sama.” She sobbed softly. “We loved her so much and now… we couldn’t even bury her.” Their faith didn’t have a proper ritual for stillbirths but Gray knew his wife, he knew she’d need something to hold on to.

“I… I did something and I hope you do not get angry with me.” He told her softly and Juvia frowned, a couple of stray tears falling from her eyes. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t let her be far, I know you would have hated it. I asked for her to be placed in my mother’s tomb. My mother was the kindest person I knew and she would have had been overjoyed to have a granddaughter. Since they couldn’t meet in life, I am sure they met after it. I believe my mother is looking after Sapphire and I hope you can get this comfort as well, knowing they are together.”

Juvia looked at him in disbelief before she started to cry again. “You didn’t let her be alone?”

“I didn’t let her be alone.” Gray’s eyes prickled with tears and then Juvia was crying on his shoulder one more time.

“Oh, thank you.” Juvia sobbed, her whole body shaking with it. “Thank you. I was so afraid she’d be alone.”

Gray dried one tear from his cheek and kissed the top of her head. “She was loved while she was here, and she is still loved wherever she is now.”

“I can’t believe you did this for me.” Juvia looked up to him – to interrupt an eternal rest could be seen as sacrilege and he had interrupted his mother’s so Juvia could have the comfort to know their daughter had her own eternal rest close by.

“I believe you will find out there’s little I wouldn’t do for you.” Gray’s eyes were soft when he gave her a sweet kiss on the lips. Sadly, he needed to talk to her about his plans. “Juvia, I will be riding south in a few days to fight your uncle. He needs to pay and so does Invel.”

Juvia’s expression hardened and she nodded. “What they did is unforgivable.”

“He is still your uncle.” He pointed out carefully.

“The moment he conspired and got our daughter killed, he wasn’t my uncle anymore.” Juvia told him. “Juvia lives for her family, but he is no family of mine anymore.” The blunette rested her back on the pillows again, wincing and Gray helped her. “What about Gajeel-kun? Have you heard anything about him?”

Gray sighed. “He is in your uncle’s dungeons. No one knows exactly what happened, but apparently, they had a disagreement and Jose threw him there. I’m thinking he became aware of your uncle’s plans for you and didn’t agree.”

“Gajeel-kun would’ve never hurt Juvia.” She told him. “You can trust him.” Gray nodded and got up to take off his heavy clothes. “Uncle won’t meet you in an open battlefield, he isn’t a good fighter and is a coward.”

“I know.” Gray sighed. “We are hoping-”

“Juvia knows how you can enter the Twins without being noticed.” Juvia said and Gray turned to look at her, surprised. “She has lived there all her life. Remember when we met and we talked about exploring? Juvia and Gajeel-kun explored the castles when we were little.” She raised her chin. “There’s a way to get inside and Juvia will tell you how. Juvia can’t let Uncle get away with his crimes.”

**#**

“You do whatever the Maester and Ur tells you to.” Gray told his wife and he sat on the bed facing her. “Please, be careful.”

The Lady offered him a small smile. “Juvia is the one who should be telling you to be careful, you are going to a battlefield, she’s the one who should be worried.”

Gray knew she was right, but he would worry for her just as much as she would for him. It had been a week since Juvia’s attack and the loss of Sapphire and although Juvia was healing physically, she still cried herself to sleep while he held her and the maids told him she spent most of her days staring at the chamber’s fire, with a hand over her stomach.

Ur had told him it was normal, she was grieving, but it worried him especially since he was going away for months when their loss was so recent.

“I am sorry to leave so soon after…” He caught himself before he said anything else, the wound still fresh. “I wish I could stay.”

“Me too.” Juvia took his hand to hers and kissed the back of it. “But you have to go before my uncle gets too prepared.”

Gray nodded and got up from the bed. He was going to kiss her and leave, but instead, fear he never saw her again filled his heart and before he knew what he was doing, he sat back on the bed, took her hand and said: “I love you.”

Juvia’s eyes widened in surprise and confusion. “Gray-sama, what-?”

“I want for you to know just in case I fail to come back.” He told her, his heart beating insanely inside his chest he wondered if she could hear it. “That’s why I was so angry when I learned about why you came here for: because I had let you take over me, take over my feelings, over my life and I hated to have lost so much control. I was terrified how much you meant to me, I was terrified how much power you had over me. I acted like a child, Juvia, having a tantrum. It was stupid and ridiculous of me. I was mad at _you_ at first, but after I was mad at _me_ and I thought this feeling would make me blind, would be a burden, but it isn’t. I was wrong. Loving you didn’t make me weaker, it made me stronger. Made _us_ stronger.”

Clearly moved, Juvia’s eyes watered. “I love you too. More than you can imagine.” She whispered, a hand on his cheek and she kissed his lips lightly. “Please, come back. Don’t make me lose you too, Juvia wouldn’t be able to take it.”

“I will come back.” He kissed her. “And when I do, I will tell you again.”

Juvia nodded and dried a tear from her cheek. “Juvia would like to hear it again.”

“Good.” Stealing one last kiss, Gray got up from the bed and without looking back, grabbed his sword and left the room. If he had looked back, his resolve would shake. If he had looked back, he would’ve held her again.

If he had looked back, he wouldn’t leave.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry for this. Congratulations if you reached this far: I know I probably lost 3/4 of the readers after this, but it had to happen. Next chapter (which hopefully will be the last) we’ll have some happiness, I hope.


	4. Part IV

 

Juvia stood in the courtyard, her father-in-law next to her, watching her husband come off his horse in one swift motion, their eyes locked and she took a few steps to meet him halfway. A raven had come a few days before, saying Gray and his army would be in Winterfell soon and they would stay for two days before going North to take care of Invel Yura now that Jose Porla was dead.

“My Lady.” Gray whispered when they were close enough.

The blunette offered him a small smile. “My Lord.” She said before she put her hands on each side of his neck, her thumbs caressing his jaw. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” He told her. “How are you?”

She took a moment to answer, trying to find the right words to tell her husband how she felt. “The wound healed.” She told him truthfully because if Juvia told him she was alright, that would be a lie.

“That is good.” He sighed in relief but by the way he looked at her, Juvia was sure they’d talk more once they were alone. Gray looked past her, to his father and took her hands away from him, kissing the back of one of them before twining their fingers together. They took a few steps “Father.”

“Son.” Silver nodded and pulled him for a hug. He patted him on the back and he was clearly relieved his son was back home, even if for just two days. “Is it done?”

“Jose Porla is dead.” Gray told him when he was released, he glanced her way. “Your cousin is now Lord of the Crossing, he has the Twins.” Juvia nodded, relieved Gajeel was alright and now ruling as her uncle’s heir. He would do it well. “He sent you a letter.”

“You can talk more after Gray has been fed and bathed.” Silver said and he looked at his son. “Sorry, kid, but you do smell ripe. War isn’t as glamorous as one would think, eh?”

**#**

_Juvia,_

_I write you this letter as a poor substitute of my presence in your time of greatest need but your husband guaranteed me he had enough men to go after Invel Yura and the Twins’ men took quite a hit with this battle. They are my people now and they need time to heal._

_I ask your forgiveness, I couldn’t stop our uncle. I was against his plan, I was ready to ride to Winterfell when he threw me in the dungeons. I was only released when Gray arrived. You were quite sneaky by telling him about the grotto tunnel from when we were children. I had completely forgotten._

_Nothing will bring your child back, but know your husband avenged it when he executed our uncle. What happened was unforgivable and I wish you had been here to carry out the sentence, instead, you had every right to. I know how you feel of murder, but it wasn’t that, it was justice._

_I’m sorry this letter isn’t a comfort, you know I am not one for words, but I want you to know I am still your cousin and whatever you need, be it an army or just a place to stay, I am here and I will never be as helpless again to come to your aid as I was before._

_Be well, cousin, and remember everything we learned as we grew up, we fight to survive but also do not forget your House’s words. You are who you are._

_Sincerely,_

_Gajeel Redfox, Lord of the Crossing_

**#**

Juvia dried a stray tear she couldn’t contain and smiled sadly while staring at the awful but very well welcomed handwriting of her cousin. She knew he would never had taken part on an assassination attempt on her life.

Gajeel liked to be feared, but inside, his heart was soft and it always softer for her; they were more brother and sister than some brothers and sisters out in the world.

She missed him.

“What does it say?” Gray asked and Juvia looked up. Her husband was ready to go to sleep and he looked so tired she was glad he would sleep in a bed for a change.

“He tells me you told him we have enough men to take to fight Invel Yura and he asks for forgiveness for not stopping Uncle.”

Gray nodded. “I found him in the dungeons, a prisoner, and everyone I talked to, says the same thing: he was thrown there after an argument with your uncle, packed and was ready to leave when he was imprisoned.” He told her. “Like you said, he is a good man.”

“He is.” Juvia put the letter away in a wooden box on the mantle of the fireplace. Gray sat on the bed, facing her, watching her. “What?”

“Tell me the truth now.” He said. “Please.”

Juvia sighed and went to sit next to him. She stayed in silence for a few moments before she spoke. “It still hurts.” She whispered. “It’s been two months now and while Juvia is doing something, she forgets for a while, but then… she remembers. That’s why Juvia keeps busy all the time.”

Gray took her hands on his. “I’m sorry I had to leave so soon after.”

“I know.” She told him. “But you did it to bring justice on what happened and in two days we march North to face Invel, the last one responsible for Sapphire’s death. We will heal together, then.”

Frowning, Gray asked. “ _We_?”

“Yes.” The blunette nodded. “You didn’t think you’d go after him on your own, right?” Clearly surprised, Gray just stared at her in disbelief. “You did.”

“Of course I did.” Gray told his wife.

“Juvia wanted but couldn’t go with you when you went after Uncle because she was terribly hurt.” She said. “She’s healed now and ready to go with you.”

“You are not coming with me.” He couldn’t believe his ears and he got up from the bed.

“Juvia is going with you.” She told him, calmly.

He shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I don’t care.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“ _No._ ” He emphasized the word.

Juvia got up from the bed to be more at level with him. “Juvia is going and unless you plan on locking her in this room for months, you can’t stop her.”

“I can’t let you go with us.” Gray told her. “Your uncle was old, his army less prepared. Invel had more time to prepare and he is a good fighter, if memory serves me right. This will be too dangerous.”

“I don’t care.” She said again.

“No.” He raised his voice, took a step back and started to walk around, restless. “I will not let you ride into mortal danger. _No_.”

“Like Juvia has let _you_?” She was feeling completely calm; there was no way Gray was going to convince her to stay behind this time. “Juvia is just as skilled as you are and before this battle, you have been to none. There are men in your army who had never held a sword until a few weeks ago when you called arms. Juvia has been training since she was a child. So why should Juvia be left behind while you go?”

“Because…” He looked at her, Juvia held his gaze and he started pacing again. “No, I can’t let you.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t lose you too.” He all but yelled it at her. “I can’t…” He gulped. “I wouldn’t be able to take it.”

“Gray-sama.” Juvia said, softly and stepped closer to him, putting a hand on his cheek.

“I told you how I feel.” His voice was almost breaking. “If you go with us and something happens, if you _die_ , I will have lost _everything_ and I can’t.”

“Juvia was scared of losing you too when you left.” She told him. “But Juvia didn’t stop you, didn’t ask you to stay because it was something _you_ had to do. This is something _Juvia_ has to do. She can’t stay behind.”

“Why?” He asked her. “Why do you want to go?”

“Because Juvia needs to look him in the eye. She _has_ to.” Juvia said. “She wants to do something and in here she will grow mad.”

“Juvia…” He tried, but Juvia tiptoed and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Let’s sleep. You must be very tired.” She saw him sigh and nod. Juvia would probably hear more about it the next day, but for the moment, they had an understanding.

**#**

Gray and Silver were walking back from the camp outside Winterfell – they had been checking to see if the troops had everything in order to leave on the morrow when Gray spoke.

“How do you think Juvia is doing?”

Silver took a moment to answer. “She’s handling things on her own way. At first she cried a lot, which is understandable, then one day I had to intervene when she started to throw things around in your bedroom, the maids got scared. After that, she went through a phase of silence. A few days like that and she was up and running the place before I could ask her what she was doing.”

“Fuck.” Gray whispered, feeling guilty once again for not being there.

“She says she feels better if she keeps busy and beyond catching her looking sad a few times, she is always doing something.” Silver finished. “Star stayed with her a lot since you’ve been gone.”

Gray frowned. “Why?”

Silver shrugged. “I think she sensed something wasn’t right. That there was supposed to be a human pup around and there wasn’t anymore. Remember when Blizzard’s litter was born and one of the pups didn’t make it and Star followed us around until we buried it? Perhaps she knew Juvia was going through something similar. I saw Juvia holding onto Star a few times, sobbing her heart out for almost an hour while Star just stood there and let her. You know how she is about someone holding her for so long.” The direwolf liked being petted, but unlike Blizzard, Star hated to be held, ever since she was young. Letting Juvia do it, meant a great deal. “She isn’t healed yet, son, but she is a strong girl.”

Gray hesitated. “Juvia wants to ride with us to get Invel.”

“I know.” Silver replied. “She told me this a few weeks ago.”

“And you didn’t think of taking the idea off her head?” Gray asked, dumbfounded at his father.

“I tried, she didn’t listen. She is as stubborn as you are, that girl.” The older Fullbuster said. “ _What_ would have had me do, son? Chain her on the bed until she changed her mind?”

“Of course not, but-”

“You have seen firsthand what she’s capable of. I couldn’t make her change her mind, but I did try to help her in any way I could. For the past month, I had an armor made for her and she has been daily training with Sor Killian and he says she’s ready.” Gray opened his mouth to protest, but Silver was faster. “Remember Sor Killian trained you too and he wouldn’t lie to me about Juvia’s abilities.”

Gray groaned. “Gods, why can’t she just this one time be like other women and stay home?” He looked at Silver. “What would you do if this were Mother? Or Ur? Would you let them?”

Silver snorted. “ _Let them_.” The older man chuckled. “First, they would tell me to shove it if I told them I didn’t ‘ _let them_ ’ do something. As we speak, Ur is out in a castle, a five-day ride from here and I’m waiting for her to come back. I didn’t want her to go, but I couldn’t stop her. Second, both of them are important to me but unless I knew they’d be completely helpless, what could I do? Both of them were strong minded and I never owned neither, exactly like you don’t own Juvia. She’s your wife, not your property.” He patted his son on his back. “It’s not your place to ‘let her’ do anything. She’s a grown woman.”

The younger Fullbuster sighed and nodded. They walked for a minute in silence until Gray spoke. “I’m afraid she will get hurt.”

“I understand that.” Silver granted him the point. “But this is _her_ decision, just like it was yours to go south to deal with her uncle. I didn’t want you to go, I don’t want you to go after Invel either because you are my son and I am always afraid you’ll get hurt. You are a grown man, though, and I have taught you everything I know, I had you trained and now I can only give you counsel and hope you do the thing that won’t get you killed.”

Gray groaned again. “I’m fucked, aren’t I?”

“Oh, yes.” Silver slapped his son on the back. “Women usually fuck us up like that, you are not alone.”

The next morning, when Juvia came from inside the castle wearing her leather armor, her sword, Water Claw, hanging from the belt in her waist and hair in a long braid, she looked at Gray for a long time right before she got on her horse, as if _daring_ him to tell her she couldn’t go with him.

“We have a long way to ride today.” He told her and mounted his horse and when Gray looked at her, he could see she was relieved. Gray glanced at his father and gave him a small wave and Silver nodded and Gray knew his father was proud of him.

**#**

Juvia watched from behind the lines, as her husband had ordered her to. He said she was welcome to stay, but far from the heart of the fight and with two men by her side.

They had been riding for almost a fortnight and they finally spotted some men from Invel Yura’s small army. Gray had shouted orders from his horse and called two of his men. “You are to stay back here, as we discussed. This is not Invel, not yet.” He told her and Juvia nodded. Gray pulled her for a quick kiss.

“Don’t get hurt, please.” She asked.

“I’ll try.” He told her before he mounted on his horse and left, his men after him.

Hearing the battle cries, the sounds of metal on metal… Juvia couldn’t stay put. She was there, she could fight and she must. She looked over her shoulders, to her guards and before they could react to her saying ‘I’m sorry’, she was already galloping towards the fight, her guards following her.

The men were clearly surprised to see her there, they were even more surprised when she started to cut people with her sword, saving the lives of a few men. Once they saw she was there to help, they started to rally behind her. Their lady, fighting next to them, gave them strength.

Killing in battle wasn’t the same as being attacked and fighting to survive. It was still for survival, but there was no time to rest once an enemy was down because a moment later, there was another person trying to kill you.

She didn’t know how long she fought, she couldn’t tell how many men she slayed; all she knew was how much her muscles were sore, she was dirty, sweaty and tired, but she wasn’t going to give up.

“Milady!” One of the men shouted. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know.” She told him, it was a man, not older than herself, with bright brown eyes and dark hair. “It seems they are either falling back or getting defeated. Take five or six men and start to take the injured back to the camp.”

“But-”

“ _Now!_ ” She yelled. “The rest of us will push them back. Won’t we?” There was a shout of agreement coming from them.

The moment she could breathe, she looked around the battlefield and she could see most of the wounded and dead wasn’t from the Fullbuster army, but it saddened her heart to see the path of destruction it caused.

When the final enemy was slayed, the people around her cheered. They had won for the day and many of them stopped to talk to her and she found herself smiling at them, despite of what happened and where they were.

These were her people, they were fighting to avenge an attack on her family.

Juvia didn’t know any of the battle songs they started to sing on their way back to camp, but she fell into an easy march back, knowing her husband was probably looking for her like a madman.

At camp, there were fires already being set, men who survived the battle singing and drinking ale around it and cheering whenever a group of people returned. When she was offered a goblet with some ale, she accepted it but started to cough with how strong it was.

“You are a good fighter, milady, but I think this one beat you.” A scruffy man with a bloody rag around his head said, laughing and the men laughed, as well as Juvia. “To Lady Juvia!” They cheered. “To ale!” Laughter and cheers. “To winning today!” Juvia raised her own goblet, smiling at them.

Juvia excused herself and started to walk in the direction of the tent she shared with her husband, the location was general enough and he probably had men looking for her.

Five minutes into walking, stopping a few times to talk to some of the men, there was a young man who was out of breath when he approached her. “Milady!” He panted. “Lord Gray is looking for you!”

“Well, congratulations. You found me.” She smiled at him and she could swear the boys’ cheeks pinked up. “I bet he will be very grateful to you…?”

“Matthias, ma’am.” His hazel eyes widened in response.

“Matthias, what a beautiful name.” Juvia told him gracefully. “Now, shall we…?”

“Yes, milady!”

The young man led her towards the Lord’s tent and bowed a few times before leaving her, saying he would go fetch her husband.

Juvia sighed and started to undress, taking off her belt, her sword needed to be cleaned, and she put it over a chest, sitting next to it and taking a deep breath. She needed a bath, she needed to eat something and she needed to sleep for a week. Honestly, she didn’t know how wars could last years when after one battle, she was ready to turn around and go home.

“Where _the fuck_ were you?” She looked up and saw her husband entering their tent and she was relieved he didn’t seem hurt, just as tired and dirty as she was. “I told you to stay back!”

“Juvia couldn’t.” She told him. “She’s not hurt, don’t worry.”

He groaned in annoyance and took a few steps, put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her to an inch of her life – it appeared her husband was more than content she was alright after their battle and Juvia felt her lower stomach boil in response to it.

Months, since the last time he kissed her that way.

Gray gave her a peck on the lips. “Next time, please stay put.”

“We’ll see.” She smiled.

“I should’ve locked you in our bedroom and dealt with your anger later. It would have been easier.” He muttered and Juvia chuckled. Gray tried to hide a smile but she saw it anyway. “We should get cleaned up before we go get something to eat.” He started to pull on his armor and so did Juvia.

Gray took off his upper armor and right after, his undershirt and went to where there were two basins. He filled one with water from a jug next to it and got a rag from the other basin, wetting it before starting to clean his chest and arms with it.

Juvia did the same, but she still had her undershirt on – she hadn’t been naked in his presence since before they lost their child.

They cleaned themselves in silence for a few moments before she glanced his way and saw a bruise on his back. She left the rag behind, seeing she was clean enough, and touched the bruise.

“It’s going to get purple.” She told him and Gray looked over his shoulder, to look at her. “How did it happen?”

“A man hit me with the pommel of his sword, very hard. He was a big man and was going for the kill, but I was faster.” He shrugged and threw his rag on the basin, turning to face his wife. “Don’t worry, it’s a little sore but will be fine.”

“Alright.” She nodded and looked up, right into his eyes and suddenly she couldn’t breathe right.

He was looking at her with those beautiful dark eyes, full of fire and she must’ve shown something in her expression, because that fire in his eyes turned into lust and she glanced down to his lips and then up to his eyes again.

Gray was the first to move, hands cupping her face and bringing her lips to his in a desperate kiss she reciprocated in kind. They hadn’t kissed like that for months, since they lost their child and no time seemed right to start kissing that way again. Sweet loving kisses were all right, hold each other as they fell asleep too, but nothing beyond that, not yet.

That night, though, Juvia was burning for him.

For a second he seemed to hesitate but Juvia didn’t let him stop. She put her hands on the belt of his pants to undo it and her husband seemed to catch she wasn’t going to stop him and his hands went to her belt.

Juvia pushed him away just long enough so she could kick off her boots and push away her pants and her husband did the same, much faster than she did since he had only his hands on. Juvia’s only clothing was her too big undershirt when she felt Gray pull her to him and scooped her from the ground, making her squeal. She giggled when he lied her down on the cot they had been sharing for the past couple of weeks.

He pulled her shirt up and threw it someplace she didn’t see and Juvia pulled Gray back to kiss her, their naked bodies touching in the most delicious way. It had been so long since she felt alive, since she wanted to.

Gray kissed her neck and a hand went to her breast and her hands caressed his back slowly, she could feel his hard length sliding on her sex and she moaned with the feeling. She slid her hands down to his arse.

Juvia a few minutes and the blunette was tingling all over, she wanted him. “Gray-sama.” She moaned. He kissed her lips and one of his hands slip between them and touched her between the legs, testing her readiness and she could feel her blood boiling, wanting him. “Please.”

Stopping the kiss, Gray looked into her eyes and she lost herself in his black ones, both panting and he moved his hips, entering her slowly without breaking eye contact and Juvia bit her lower lip until he was all in.

He touched her forehead with his, their breaths mixing and when he began to move his hips, earning a small moan from her, he kissed her lips, lovingly and Juvia’s heart fluttered inside her chest.

They started slow, savoring the feeling of the other – it had been so long – until they needed more, they needed the fire to consume them, to burn them alive and bring them back.

“Fuck.” Gray whispered, speeding up his movements and when that wasn’t enough, Gray grabbed one of her legs and lifted it, his arm under her knee to keep it up and Juvia gasped and moaned with each stroke, her nails digging into the skin of his back. “Juvia.”

“Gray-sama.” Juvia moaned his name when he started to rub the bundle of nerves atop of where they were joined and she could feel she was getting closer and closer to the edge. “Oh, gods.”

“Look at me.” He panted and she opened her eyes, taking her breath away even more than before; he looked so handsome with his wild dark eyes shining in desire, cheeks flushed, a crease between his brows as he focused. So handsome. “Juvia.” He said and her focus returned to him. “I love you.” Juvia’s heart skipped a beat at his words and looking into his eyes, she knew he had meant them as much as he meant them the first time he had said them. “ _I. Love. You_.” He snapped his hips on hers with each word and by the end of the third, Juvia was falling.

“ _Oh_.” She keened, feeling her blood boiling in her veins; she was floating, and feeling out of the world, feeling like she never thought it was possible to feel again.

She felt alive.

Her husband stilled on top of her as he came in her, her name on his lips and after a few moments, those same lips started to kiss her neck slowly and Juvia couldn’t help it but to smile, caressing his back lovingly.

Gray finally kissed her lips and gently pulled out of her and she smiled into the kiss, snuggling close to him when he lied next to her; the cot was too small for them to be apart, anyways.

“Gods, I have missed this.” He whispered and Juvia chuckled, kissing the hollow of his throat. “Are you okay?”

Juvia thought for a moment and nodded. “Juvia wasn’t sure she was ready before. Now, she was sure.”

“Good.” He kissed the top of her head. “I would’ve waited longer if you weren’t, you know that, right? All the time you needed.”

“I know.” She nodded and with her index finger, she drew invisible patterns on the skin of his chest. He had been very respectful of her limits, as usual. “Juvia enjoyed tonight. We should do this more often.”

Gray chuckled. “You won’t need to do much convincing to get me to do this more often.” Juvia smiled and kissed his cheek. He caressed her side slowly and when Juvia got up to get the rag in the basin to clean herself between the legs, she could feel his eyes on her and once she was done, she cleaned it and passed it to him, knowing the next morning they still had to eat before sleep.

While she waited, she put on an old dress and gathered his armor, putting away and once he was finished, she threw the rag on the empty basin next to the one with water and she opened one of the chests to hand him a pair of pants and a shirt.

“I will get us something to eat.” He told her, kissing her lips. “I will be right back.”

Later that night, right after making love once again, Juvia snuggled closer to her husband, who covered them with furs, and he kissed her forehead.

“In two days we will arrive at the Fox Den, Lady and Lord Silverfox will have us and we will get a proper bath, meal, bed…” He told her. “We will be more comfortable at the Castle.”

“Juvia is fine right here and now.” She told him. “Sleep, Gray-sama, don’t worry about Juvia.”

He snorted. “I’ll always be worried about you.”

**#**

Gray was drinking a glass of wine by the fire and staring at his wife, who was lying on the bed, on her stomach, both completely naked, her hair sprawled on her back in a mess of curls and she was looking at him. She was cushioning her head on her arms and she smiled, making his heart flutter.

They had been married for more than a year and it still baffled him at how _beautiful_ she was, inside and out.

“Do you know what the men call you?” He asked her and she made a curious sound. “The Winter Rose.”

She giggled. “Do they know Juvia is from the South?”

“They don’t seem to mind.” Gray told her and left his goblet on the table before he went back to bed while she laughed quietly when he rolled them so she was atop of him. “I asked why The Winter Rose.”

“Juvia’s hair, obviously.” She said while leaning to kiss the tip of his nose and then gave a peck on his lips before she kissed his chest.

“That helped, but I was told it was because you are beautiful, sweet, exotic and with thorns. You made quite an impression on them.” He sighed in contentment as her lips teased his skin. “I couldn’t help it but to agree.”

“So, you think Juvia is beautiful.” She asked and squealed when he turned them so she was underneath him.

“Maybe.” He smiled and kissed her lips.

“And with thorns?” The blunette raised an eyebrow.

Gray snorted. “You do have a sword and knows how to use it. I would say you have a _few_ thorns.”

“Perhaps.” She chuckled and it was her turn to kiss him.

“In just a few days, we will face _him_.” Gray told her softly, a hand on her cheek and she nodded. “If you want to stay here until…”

“No.” She shook her head and put a hand on his cheek. “Juvia is going.”

Gray sighed. “Would you please stick with the rules this time, then?” When Juvia just smiled at him, he groaned, knowing she wouldn’t stay at the back, as he had requested. Again. “How come you are just as stubborn as I am?”

“You need someone to match your stubbornness so when you are wrong, you can have a match to tell you just that.” She kissed his lips and opened her legs to accommodate him better.

“And when you are wrong, do I get to do the same?” He asked, kissing her again.

“Don’t you know?” Juvia told him. “Wives are always right.” He snorted but said nothing else, choosing to spend their remaining time at Fox Den, loving her instead of arguing.

**#**

The day they faced Invel Yura, was a cold one, grey skies above them and silence surrounded them as they watched the army get ready at the opposing side of theirs. Invel had refused to meet before the fight, which meant he had no intention of surrendering himself to save his men. The Fullbuster army was larger, it would overwhelm their enemy soon, but northerners were stubborn and Invel wasn’t going to submit.

“Juvia.” Gray called and she looked his way. “Stay next to me all the time.”

Once battle began, it was hard to follow Gray but she knew if they got lost, Gray would go in Invel’s direction and so was she. The men who were signed to protect her, were good fighters and saved her from get seriously hurt a few times and in turn, Juvia had saved theirs in return.

Her stomach turned when she saw the familiar shade of white of Invel Yura’s hair. They had met a few times at The Twins and she had been having nightmares with those red eyes of his. She would never mistake him.

“Juvia!” She looked to her right and a few meters away, her husband was engaged on a fight. “Go!”

She didn’t have to be asked twice.

Juvia ran in Invel’s direction, avoiding three different attacks and one she was close enough, she swung her sword in his direction the hardest she could and Invel stopped it with his own, pushing her back.

“When they told me you were here, I couldn’t believe it.” He panted but Juvia said nothing. She was feeling all the pain, the hatred, the anger boiling inside her and all she wanted to do was to kill the son of a bitch.

Invel was quick, but Juvia was smaller and quicker than he was. He managed to hurt her on the side, right under her ribs; it was a big slash but not deep enough to be life threatening. He took the opportunity and punched Juvia, who fell on the ground, her sword next to her.

Losing no time, she remembered her lessons and how if she were on the ground, she was fucked. She did what she had been taught to do years ago; she used her legs to sweep onto his feet, making him also fall to the ground.

Juvia was quick to climb over him and before he could reach for his sword, Juvia screamed and punched him in the face, every ounce of the pain she felt, she channeled to that moment. She hit him over and over again until his face was bloodied and he was moaning in pain.

She grabbed the sword that fell next to them, his sword, and looked down to him.

Invel was at her mercy, one of the men who had part in killing her daughter. One of the men who had made her feel the worst pain in the world, one of the men who made her want to die.

Juvia yelled as she raised the sword high, pointy end ready to gut the damn bastard and he knew it, she could see it in his wide eyes he knew.

With one swift motion, she hit her target, still yelling.

She was panting when she stopped, Invel’s eyes widened even more when he looked down and saw that Juvia’s sword was right beside his neck, instead of in his stomach.

It felt as if everyone in the battlefield was looking at them, no other sound was heard as everyone watched Juvia and Invel stare into each other’s eyes. It was clear she had missed on purpose, she was too close to miss.

“Why?” He gulped, bloodied face with an expression of confusion.

“Because I am not going to _murder_ you, I won’t let you make me turn like you.” She hissed. “You will face _justice_ , not revenge. I want you to know that whatever happens to you, it will be justice.” He seemed to understand her and Juvia looked down on him for a few seconds more before she got up, took her sword from the ground and started to walk in the direction of her husband, who was looking at her with wide eyes. Juvia held to her left side where he had cut her earlier and Gray ran to her, while yelling for his men to imprisoner Invel. “Gray-sama.”

“Are you okay?” Gray asked, putting his arm around her waist, over her injury to put pressure on it. “Do you think it’s deep?”

“No.” She shook her head and stopped walking for a moment, making her husband look at her. “It’s over.”

“Almost.” He nodded. “Now come on, let’s get you looked at by a Maester.”

**#**

“You don’t need to go talk to him.” Gray told her as she walked towards the dungeons of Snowstorm Castle, the home of the Yuras.

“It is his last wish.” The blunette told her husband. “He will be executed in a few hours and he wants to talk to me.” Gray helped her down the stairs as she was still hurt from the battle. “Don’t worry.”

“I won’t be leaving, so don’t even ask.” Gray said and Juvia nodded – it was fair enough, if the request were for him, she would want to be there as well. They walked in silence until they stopped in front of Invel’s cell. “Leave us.” He told his men.

He looked like hell, white hair was loose and dirty, his injuries were treated but he was still worse for wear, his face was red and purple, much like hers from the punches they threw on one another, his wrists were bound, shirt bloodied. His red eyes met hers and Juvia raised her chin.

“Lady Juvia.” He glanced at Gray, as if it wasn’t a surprise to see him there. “Lord Gray.”

“Be quick.” Gray hissed. “What do you want with her?”

“I want to talk about your child.” Invel said and Juvia’s heart stopped inside her chest, Gray stepped closer to the bars of the cell.

“You _dare_ to…”

“Gray-sama.” Juvia’s voice was strong and made him stop on his tracks. Gray was furious, clearly, but Juvia shook her head and for a second she was sure he wouldn’t calm down and would go inside the cell to kill Invel, but he gave her a small nod instead and returned to her side. Juvia knew, though, his patience was thin. Her attention returned to their prisoner. “Why?” She asked, simply.

“I think I would lead the North better than the Fullbuster had been doing.” Invel said, serious and in a very analytical tone. “Your uncle and I had a good plan but you fell in love and told him” he pointed at Gray “about it. I knew it happened when he called the bannerman and my House wasn’t included. I wasn’t surprised, to be honest, but your uncle was livid. When I arrived at The Twins, he told me he would send an assassin after you but that wasn’t justice, it was revenge.” He said and Juvia recalled the words she had said when she almost killed him. “I was there, I knew it was wrong and I didn’t stop him so I am to blame as much as he was.” Invel looked at Gray. “I won’t apologize for trying to take the North, I would have done what your family has been failing to for centuries: make the North independent again. But I fought and I lost.” He was so cold for a man who just had a few hours to live. “Do not ruin the North any more than it is already ruined.”

“ _Fuck you_.” Gray said between gritted teeth.

Juvia looked at him for a long time and stepped closer to the bars. “If it weren’t for you, for my uncle and for me, at this time now Juvia would have her daughter in her arms.” She said in a low voice, but she was sure he could hear her. “I did not murder you back in the battlefield, even though I _really_ wish I did because I wouldn’t be able to live with myself because I would have wanted to make you feel like I felt. You made me, _us_ , go through the worst pain we could ever feel.” She hissed. “I refuse to turn into that person. My family’s words are _‘We live for the family’_ and I will. I will live for the family that I lost.”

“Your child dying deserves justice and I accept your punishment for it.” Invel told Juvia. “I will know of my crime when I face the gods.”

Juvia nodded one time and started to walk towards the exit, her husband reaching her a moment later to help her up the stairs. The moment they were out of the dungeons, Juvia started to cry silently as they walked back to the castle.

Later that day, when she saw her husband swing his sword and Invel’s head rolling, blood tainting the snow, she had excused herself and emptied the contents of her stomach next to the castle wall. She thought having justice for her daughter would make her feel better, but it didn’t. It still hurt, it still didn’t bring Sapphire back.

That night, when they lied on the bed, Gray held her tight while Juvia sobbed in grief.

**#**

Gray found his wife crying in their bedroom, two months later, and it alarmed him. She had been much better since they returned home and seeing her crying like that…

“Juvia?” He sat next to her, an arm around her shoulder. “What is wrong?”

“I…” She cried. “I think I might be pregnant again.”

He blinked two times before he spoke. “What?”

“Juvia had her moon blood two times since…” She whispered, looking terrified. “But none since when we went after Invel. We started being intimate again back then.”

“That was… three months ago.” He said and Juvia nodded. Gray felt his stomach fluttering as he tried to remember the symptoms she had the first time and thinking about it, it made sense. She had been very tired, her breasts were more sensitive and the small protuberance on her stomach that had remained from her first pregnancy, was harder under his hand. “Why are you crying?”

“Because it’s _not safe_ yet.” Juvia cried. “What if there are people still trying to kill us? What if someone comes after it? What if… something goes wrong?” She shook her head. “I can’t go through that again, Gray-sama. I _won’t_.”

Gray pulled her closer to him and kissed her temple. “No one is taking another child from us. I’ll have you protected all the time.” He told her. “If you are indeed pregnant, I am certain nothing is going to go wrong.”

“You don’t know that.” Her terrified whisper broke his heart. “Anything could happen. It’s not safe.”

“Nothing will happen.” He assured her. “I will ask Ur to stay here until the baby is born, the Maester will also be here and everything will go as it is supposed to.”

Very hesitant, Juvia nodded. “Juvia doesn’t want anyone to know yet. Not until she can’t hide it anymore.” Gray frowned. “It would make me feel safer.”

“Whatever you want.” He agreed, letting her feel as comfortable as he could, was his main concern. “We will need to tell some people, though. Ur, the Maester, my father.”

“Yes.” The blunette sighed. “Only the people who must.”

“Of course.” Gray made her look up to him. “Aside from feeling afraid… are you… _happy_?”

“Juvia is.” Juvia said, voice so tiny he almost couldn’t hear it. “Juvia is happy and feeling guilty about it.”

“Don’t.” He shook his head. “I know it’s going to take a while to sink in, but we can’t feel guilty for bringing another life into this family.” He caressed her cheek. “We won’t forget about Sapphire because we are having another child.”

“I know.” She whispered. “It’s just… _so hard_.”

“Yeah.” Gray agreed. “I will be right next to you anytime you need me, alright?” She nodded. “We will be doing this the right way: you feel sad, you tell me. You feel doubts, you tell me.” Juvia nodded again. “Good. I will do the same, deal?”

“Deal.”

He hesitated but put a hand over her stomach, he watched her carefully as he looked for any indication of her being uncomfortable. When he found none, he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and he finally smiled, Juvia smiling back in response. It was a _good_ thing and the gods knew they needed some good in their lives.

Neither of them spoke again for a long while, holding each other close, both praying and wishing for this child to be well. Gray kissed her hairline and Juvia grabbed his hand, squeezing it.

They were together and would remain that way, facing whatever happened.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so there will be a small chapter later, like, really small. There’s something I gotta add and if I put it in here, it would have been too long.
> 
> Let me be clear: Juvia did not forgive Invel. She decided killing him in revenge would have made her feel worse and decided to have him face justice, just Invel himself knew was coming and accepted it. During their talk, she made sure he knew his crimes and why she didn’t kill him, then. Honestly? I think this was harder to do than to kill him.
> 
> Another thing, Juvia is coping with it in her own way and she has taken big steps such as resuming her sex life with Gray after three months, facing Invel and not completely losing it, resuming her activities in Winterfell and more; she’s not alright yet, though, as we can clearly see the impact her attack has on her reaction to the news. She went through something traumatic and even though she was doing fine before, her fears returned once she was put in the same state as she was when attacked.
> 
> I… hope it was okay?


	5. Part V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small chapter to wrap the story up! :)

 

The last time Gray and his father had waited outside the chambers he shared with his wife while Ur and the Maester were inside, he had received the worst news of his life and while that time he knew was nothing like before, he was still scared.

The sounds from inside weren’t really putting his worries to rest.

“What is taking so long?” Gray asked.

“Those things take time, son.” His father told him. “You took all day to be born.”

“You are not really helping.” He looked at his father. Silver was seated on one of the chairs a couple of guards had brought to them earlier, Star was calmly lying down on the floor next to him while Blizzard sat back on his haunches, watching Gray walk from one side to another; perhaps Star knew what Juvia was going through. “What if…?”

“They will be fine, son.” Silver told him.

“I know. I know.” Gray sighed and finally sat down next to his father. “I just… I feel so helpless.”

Silver nodded in understanding. “There’s nothing we men can do about this, son. That’s a woman’s business and let me tell you, they are much better equipped for it than we would ever be.” He reached for Star’s head and caressed the soft fur. “Juvia-chan is strong, stronger than we know. Don’t worry.”

A loud groan came from inside the room and Gray prayed to the old gods of his family and also the new just in case, to protect his wife and their child. She had been inside the room for hours, in pain while he was outside, waiting.

For months the young couple had been anticipating the birth of their baby and he could see she was scared and he was sure she could see the same in him. Per her request, they kept it hidden the fact she was pregnant by wearing large dresses, coats and capes that concealed her bulging stomach until she was almost as far as she had been when she had been attacked.

Blizzard put his head on Gray’s lap and he started to pet the wolf, feeling slightly calmer to have something to do, even if it was just caressing his direwolf’s fur.

Star and Blizzard followed Juvia around whenever they were at Winterfell and they’d watch carefully any person who interacted with Juvia or came too close to her. Even Silver or Gray, they kept vigil. Gray thought they were being that way because they felt guilty about Juvia’s first pregnancy. Direwolves were much smarter than they had thought.

The door opened and both men got up. Ur came out and Gray’s heart was beating fast inside his chest and fear flooded in his veins. Did something go wrong?

“I just came out to tell you she’s going to start pushing soon.” Ur told them. “Just a little more time and you can meet your babe, Gray.” She tried to return inside, but Gray called his name.

“Is… is she alright? Is the baby?”

Ur offered him a sympathetic smile. “She is in pain right now, but the moment that baby is in her arms, trust me: she will be fine. Everything is proceeding as it should.”

Gray gave her a nod and she returned inside.

“Just a few minutes more, son.” Silver patted on Gray’s back. “Just a few minutes and you’ll be a father.”

The next few minutes were one of the longest of Gray’s life. The painful groans form inside grew louder and more frequent until they became so loud even Star sat, staring at the door while Gray stood, frozen in place, heart beating like crazy inside his chest. His breath got caught in his throat when there was silence inside but the moment he heard the cry of a child, _his_ child, he finally breathed again.

“There we go!” Silver exclaimed, happy as he patted his son’s back roughly. “Ha!” Gray was shaking when his father pulled for a hug; he still couldn’t believe his child had just been born. “Oh, thank the gods!”

“I…” Gray tried. “I need to see them.”

“Of course you do, son.” Silver nodded. “You’ll see them soon.”

True to his word, just a few minutes later, Ur opened the door and she was smiling. “We are not done here, but I know better than try to hold you back here.” She told him. “Come in and meet your son.”

His eyes widened and Gray nodded, stepped inside and the moment he was in, his eyes locked with the form of his wife, holding a small bundle in his arms. The smell of blood made him unsettled until she looked up; she was tired, he could see, her hair was a mess and crying but he could see it was from relief.

“Juvia?”

She smiled, then. “Come to see him, Gray-sama.”

It was as if the whole world stopped existing and only he, his wife and their child existed. He sat on the bed, facing her and Juvia moved the blanket so he could see the baby nestled in her arms.

Gray felt as if someone had punched him on the stomach the moment he looked at his son. He had some dark blue hair on his head and since he was quietly resting, his eyes were close but Gray prayed he’d have Juvia’s beautiful eyes.

“How…” Gray gulped, overwhelmed with emotion and without taking his eyes off of his son. “How is he? How are _you_?” He wanted to have the baby in his arms but he knew Juvia needed it more than he did – besides, just seeing him already filled his heart with joy.

“Sore, but fine.” Juvia told her husband and then looked down to the baby. “And he is perfect. Absolutely perfect.” She whispered.

“Aye, he is.” Gray nodded and smiled, leaning to kiss his wife’s lips lightly. They kept staring at the newborn in wonder for a few minutes before Juvia winced in pain and Gray went on alert. “What is wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.” Ur stepped close to them and put a hand on Gray’s shoulder. “I usually only let the fathers come inside the room once the afterbirth has come out. As it can take it up to half an hour to come, I knew if I did that to you, you would get worked up.” The older woman stared at Gray. “Let me-” Ur tried to take the baby from Juvia, but the blunette held on to the newborn tighter and her eyes widened in panic. “Juvia, you shouldn’t deliver the afterbirth while holding the baby.” She said gently.

“No one will take him from me.” Juvia said and Gray understood why she was feeling that way. A year before, when she learned about losing Sapphire, she had pleaded for her baby to return and she was panicking now that she had a living child in her arms. He really couldn’t blame her for being afraid.

“How about he stays with me?” Gray asked, gently, to his wife. “You know I won’t let go of him.”

“Yes.” Ur nodded. “How about the little one gets to know his father while you finish here?”

Juvia was looking at them, doubtful. “He stays here in the room where I can see him.”

“Of course.” Gray agreed. “I’ll go sit with him by the fire, huh? You’ll be able to see us, then.”

Another pain unsettled her and Juvia knew she would need to let go of her son and Gray, as unreasonable as it sounded, was the only person she trusted the baby with.

“Alright.” She whispered and kissed the baby’s forehead before she gently passed him to his father. “ _Don’t_ leave the room.” She repeated for good measure.

“I won’t.” Gray told her and once both Ur and Juvia made sure he was holding the infant the right way, Gray got up and walked slowly towards the fireplace, where there was a chair Juvia had taken to like during the coldest days in Winterfell. Once he was settled, Gray looked down to the baby and he was even more mesmerized than before. He was so tiny, everything was small and fragile but perfect at the same time. “Hello, son.” Gray whispered to the newborn. “Your mother and I have been waiting a _long_ time to meet you and now that you are here, I never felt happier.”

The baby yawned and made a distressed sound when Gray’s arm relaxed a bit but he was quick to adjust it once more and the baby slumbered again.

“You mother was right, you _are_ perfect.” Gray said in awe. “We will probably be unreasonably protective of you, but bear with us, please. It has been a tough year.”

For a long time, Gray talked to his son, even if he was asleep the whole time and Gray had looked up a few times to see Juvia’s progression and a few of those times, she was staring at him as if to make sure he still had their child safely in his arms.

Juvia, he was absolutely sure, would be a very protective mother, like a she-wolf with puppies. She might’ve not been born in the North, but she was sure northern.

Once she was done and Ur had guaranteed it was fine, Gray walked back to the bed and gave the fussing baby back to Juvia, whom only had eyes for the little boy.

“He is hungry.” Ur told the young mother. “Let me help you.” Gray watched intently as Ur taught Juvia on how to feed the newborn and it didn’t take long for the child to latch on and start to drink on earnest. “You two are naturals. I will go to Silver so you can have some time for yourselves but I warn you: he will want to come here to meet his grandchild very soon.”

“Thank you, Ur-sama.” Juvia told her.

“Thank you, Ur.” Gray glanced at the older woman when she put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it before she left the chambers.

“How come we made the most perfect baby in the world?” Juvia asked, looking up to her husband. “I can’t believe he is real.”

“He is.” Gray told her. “He is ours.”

“I am so happy to hold him, feel his warmth, to smell him, to just… _see_ him.” The blunette said. “I love him so much.”

“I do too.” Gray put a hand on the top of the child’s head. “Both of you.” Juvia smiled and kissed her husband.

**#**

An hour later, the young couple looked up when they heard a knock on the door and it opened to reveal both Silver and Ur alongside with the direwolves. The older man was clearly buzzing in happiness to meet his grandchild.

“How are you, my dear?” Silver asked, sitting on the bed to take a better look at the baby and aw-ing in cue.

“More than fine.” Juvia answered and she smiled when the direwolves came close to smell the child. “Well, come on, you two.” Juvia called and both wolves, as if they understood her, stepped close and started to smell the top of the babe’s head.

“This is Flint.” Gray said, petting Star and then Blizzard. “He is the one you two have been so protective about.” Blizzard wagged his tail while Star started to lick the baby’s hair and it made the baby fuss a little. Gray chuckled at their reaction but pushed them away slightly before they woke him. “Alright, alright, I’m happy you liked him, since you will be fundamental to keep him safe.”

As if they understood, both wolves sat down, eyes locked at the baby as Juvia passed him to her husband and when Gray got up so Silver could hold his grandchild.

“What should we call him?” Silver asked, clearly in love already.

Juvia stared at the baby for a while before she looked at her husband, whose nod gave her permission to tell the name they agreed with. “Flint.”

“Flint.” Silver tested the name. “Fullbuster children are usually named after colors.”

Juvia chuckled. “It is a shade of gray.” She informed him. “Juvia borrowed a book from the Maester where it had all the colors’ names.”

Silver nodded. “If that’s the case, I approve. Welcome to the world, Flint Fullbuster.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, Flint! I just thought they deserved a happy ending after what they had been through and Flint is their chance. I hope you liked it and thank you for reading this crazy fanfiction. You guys are amazing!

**Author's Note:**

> So, the first part was just to set the mood. Things will really happen during part 2. I hope this was alright.


End file.
